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THE NOVELS OF 


BJORNSTJERNE BJORNSON 

Edited by EDMUND GOSSE 


VOLUME III. 


THE HOVELS OF 


BJORNSTJERNE B/ORNSON 

Edited by EDMUND GOSSE 

Synnove Solbakken. 

Arne. 

A Happy Boy. 

The Fisher Maiden. 

The Bridal March. 

Magnhild. 

Captain Mansana. 

Ami other Short Stories and Novelettes 
NEW YORK 

MACMILLAN AND CO. 


A HAPPY BOY 


BY 

BJORNSTJERNE BJORNSON 


Translated from the Norwegian 
By Mrs. W. ARCHER 


NEW YORK 

MACMILLAN AND CO. 
1896 



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BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE 


[A Happy Bov was originally published in the Chris- 
tiania newspaper Aftenbladet,” 7859-60. Later on, in 
1860, it was printed in a revised form at the close of the 
collected volume called Smaastykher’’ Small Pieces"), 
issued at Bergen. It has never appeared in the original 
as an independent publication. This story was begun in 
Christiania in 7858, and finished at Sdgne Parsonage in 
7859. 

A Swedish translation was published in 7862, and 
another in Finnish in the same year.' A Dutch version, 
without date, is said to have appeared still earlier. The 
earliest English translation was printed in 1869, and the 
story has always been a great favourite in this country. 
There are versions in French, German, Icelandic, Croatian, 
and other languages. 


E. G.] 



A HAPPY BOY 

CHAPTER I 

He was called Eyvind, and he cried when he 
was born. But as soon as he could sit up on 
his mother’s knee he laughed ; and when they 
lighted the candle at evening, he laughed till 
the place rang again, but cried when he could 
not get to it. 

This boy will be something out of the 
common,” said his mother. 

A bare rock frowned over the house where 
he was born, but it was not high ; fir and birch 
trees looked down from its brow, and the wild 
cherr}' strewed blossoms on the roof. A little 
goat which belonged to Eyvind roamed about the 
roof ; he had to be kept up there lest he should 


A 


A HAPPY BOY 


Stray, and Eyvind carried leaves and grass up 
to him. One fine day the goat hopped over 
and away up the rock ; he went straight ahead 
and came to a place where he had never 
been before. Eyvind could not see the goat 
when he came out after tea, and thought at once 
of the fox. He got hot all over, looked about, 
and called : Goatie-goatie, and goatie-wee ! " 

^^Ba-a-a-a !” said the goat up on the hillside, 
looking down with his head on one side. 

But a little girl was kneeling beside the 
goat. 

** Is he your goat ? ” she asked. 

Eyvind stood with open mouth and eyes, and 
thrust both hands into the pockets of his little 
breeches. 

Who are you ? ” he asked. 

** I am Marit, mother’s baby, father’s mouse, 
little fairy in the house, grand-daughter of Ole 
Nordistuen of the hill-farms, four years old in 
autumn, two days after the first frost-nights, 
I am ! ” 

'' Are you though ? ” said he, drawing a long 


A HAPPY BOY 


breath, for he had not ventured to breathe 
whilst she was speaking. 

** Is he your goat ? ” asked the girl again. 

** Yes,” said he, looking up. 

I’ve taken such a fancy to the goat. Will 
you not give him to me ? ” 

No, indeed I won’t.” 

She lay kicking her legs about and looking 
down at him, and then she said : 

** If I were to give you a butter-cake for the 
goat, mightn’t I have him then ? ” 

Eyvind belonged to poor folks ; he had eaten 
butter-cake only once in his life, that was when 
grandfather came to see them, and he had never 
tasted the like before nor since. He looked up 
at the girl. 

** Let me see the cake first,” said he. With- 
out waiting to be asked twice, she showed him 
a large cake which she held in her hand. 

** Here it is ! ” said she, and threw it down. 

**Oh, it’s all gone to pieces,” said the boy, 
and he carefully gathered up every bit. He 
couldn’t help just tasting the smallest, and it 


3 


A HAPPY BOY 


was SO good that he had to taste one bit more ; 
and before he knew what he was about he had 
eaten up the whole cake. 

Now the goat is mine/’ said the girl. 

The boy stopped short with the last bit in 
his mouth, the girl lay and laughed, the goat 
with his white breast and dark fleece stood by 
her, looking down sideways. 

“ Couldn’t you wait a bit ? ” begged the boy ; 
^his heart began to throb within him. Then the 
girl laughed yet more and started up to her 
knees. 

No, no, the goat is mine,” said she, and 
flung her arms about its neck ; then she loosed 
a garter and made a halter of it. Eyvind stood 
and looked on. She rose and began to drag 
the goat ; it would not go with her but stretched 
its neck down towards Eyvind. ^^Ba-a-a-a!” 
it said. 

But she caught hold of its fleece with one 
hand, pulled at the garter with the other, and 
said prettily : 

** Come goatie dear, you shall come indoors 


4 


A HAPPY BOY 


and eat out of mother’s nice dish and out of my 
apron,” and then she sang : 

Come, goat, to your sire. 

Come, calf, from the byre ; 

Come, pussy that mews 
In your snowy-white shoes ; 

Come, ducklings so yellow. 

Come, chickens so small. 

Each soft little fellow 
That can’t run at all ; 

Come, sweet doves of mine. 

With your feathers so fine ! 

The turf’s wet with dew. 

But the sun warms it through. 

It is early, right early, in summer-time still, 

• But call on the autumn, and hurry it will. 

The boy was left alone. He had played 
with the goat ever since it was born in the 
winter, and it had never occurred to him that it 
could be lost ; but now it was done all in a 
moment, and he was never to see it again. 

His mother came singing up from the water- 
side with some vessels she had been scouring ; 
she saw the boy sitting crying, with his legs 
under him in the grass, and went to him. 

What are you crying for ? ” 

Oh, the goat, the goat ! ” 


5 


A HAPPY BOY 


“ Well, where is the goat ? ” asked his 
mother looking up on the roof. 

He’ll never come back,” said the boy. 

“ Why, what has happened to him ? ” 

He would not confess at once. 

Has the fox taken him ? ” 

“ Oh, I wish it were the fox ! ” 

** Are you out of your senses ? ” said his 
mother. What has become of the goat ? ” 

^‘Oh; oh, oh! — I’ve been so unlucky — I’ve 
sold him for a butter-cake 1 ” 

Even as he said the words he realised what 
it was to sell the goat for a butter-cake ; he 
had not thought of it before. His mother 
said : 

What do you suppose the little goat thinks 
of you, since you could go and sell him for a 
butter-cake ? ” 

The boy himself thought of it, and realised 
very clearly that he could never be happy again 
in this world, nor even with God in heaven, he 
thought afterwards. 

He was so heart-broken that he resolved 


6 


A HAPPY BOY 


within himself never again to do anything 
wrong, neither to cut the thread on the distaff, 
nor to let the ewes out of the fold, nor to go 
down to the lake alone. He fell asleep there 
where he lay and dreamt that the goat had gone 
to heaven. 

There sat Our Lord with a long beard, just as 
He was in the catechism, and the goat stood 
eating the leaves of a shining tree ; but Eyvind 
sat on the roof alone and could not get up 
to him. 

At that moment something wet poked right 
into his ear ; he started up. 

Ba-a-a-a ! ” said a voice ; and there was the 
goat come back. 

Oh, you’ve come back ! you’ve come back ! ’’ 

He jumped up, took hold of his two forelegs 
and danced with him like a brother ; he pulled 
his beard, and he was just going to take him 
right in to his mother, when he heard something 
behind him and saw the girl sitting on the grass 
just by his side. Now he understood it all, 
and he let go his hold of the goat. 


7 


A HAPPY BOY 


Is it you that have come with him ? ” She 
sat tearing up grass with her hand and said : 

I wasn’t allowed to keep him ; grandfather 
is sitting up there waiting.” 

As the boy stood looking at her he heard a 
sharp voice up on the road calling : 

a Well!” 

Then she remembered what she had to do. 
She rose and went up to Eyvind, laid one earth- 
stained hand in his and said : 

Forgive me ! ” 

Then her resolution failed her, and she threw 
her arms round the goat and wept. 

I think you had better keep the goat,” said 
Eyvind, looking away. 

** Be quick now ! ” said the grandfather up on 
the slope. And Marit rose and walked up after 
him with dragging feet. 

“ You’ve forgotten your garter 1 ” Eyvind 
called after her. She turned and looked first 
at the garter and then at him. At last she 
formed a great resolution and said with a thick 
voice : 


8 


A HAPPY BOY 


You can keep that.” 

He went up to her and took her hand. “1 
thank you,” said he. 

‘‘ Oh that^s nothing to thank me for,” she 
answered, heaved a prodigiously deep sigh, and 
went on her way. 

He sat down on the grass again with the 
goat at his side; but he somehow did not care 
for it so much as before. 


9 


B 


CHAPTER II 

The goat was tethered near the wall of the 
house, but Eyvind kept looking up the hill- 
side. His mother came out and sat by him ; 
he wanted to hear tales about what was far 
away, for the goat was no longer enough for 
him. So he came to hear how once upon a time 
everything could talk : the mountain talked to 
the brook, and the brook to the river, and the 
river to the sea, and the sea to the sky. Then he 
wanted to know whether the sky did not talk to 
anything ; and the sky talked to the clouds, and 
the clouds to the trees, and the trees to the 
grass, the grass to the flies, the flies to the 
animals, the animals to the children, the children 
to the grown-up people ; and so it went on until 
it got round in a circle, and no one knew who 
had begun. Eyvind looked at the mountain, the 


10 . 


A HAPPY BOY 


trees, the lake, the sky, and had never really 
seen them before. Just then the cat came out 
and laid herself on the flags in the sunshine. 

** What does the cat say ? ” asked Eyvind, 
pointing. 

His mother sang : 

The evening sun sinks low in the skies, 

The cat lies lazily blinking her eyes. 

** Two little mice, 

Some cream — so nice — 

Four bits of fish 
I stole from a dish ; 

I got all I desired. 

And I’m lazy and tired,” 

Says the cat. 

Then came the cock with all the hens. 

What does the cock say ? asked Eyvind, 
clapping his hands. 

His mother sang : 

Her wings the brood-hen sinks ; 

Stands on one leg the cock, and thinks : 

“ The grey gander 
Will soar and wander. 

But he can never, heigh, heigh ! 

Be half so clever as I ! 

In, in, ye hens, and get out of the way ! 

The sun has a holiday turn to-day,” 

Says the cock. 


II 


A HAPPY BOY 


Then two little birds sat and sang upon the 
ridge of the roof. 

*‘What are the birds saying?” asked Eyvind, 
laughing. 

“ Dear God, how sweet it is to live 
For those who neither toil nor strive,” 

Say the birds. 

Thus she went through what all the animals 
said, right down to the ant which crawled 
through the moss, and the worm that ticked in 
the bark. 

That same summer, his mother began to teach 
him to read. He had long possessed books and 
thought a great deal about how it would be when 
they too began to talk. Now the letters turned 
into beasts, birds, and everything that existed. 
Soon they began to group themselves together 
two and two ; a stood and rested under a tree 
called h, then c came and did the same ; but 
when three or four came together it was as if 
they were angry with one another ; they did not 
get on well at all. And the more he learned the 
more he forgot what they were. He remembered 


12 


A HAPPY BOY 


a the longest, because he was fondest of it ; it 
was a little black lamb and was friends with all. 
But soon he forgot even a ; the book no longer 
contained fairy tales, but only lessons. 

One day his mother came in and said to him : 

To-morrow school begins again, and you are 
to go with me up to the school-house.’^ 

Eyvind had heard that school was a place 
where many boys played together, and he had 
no objection. On the contrary, he was much 
pleased ; he had often been at the school- house, 
but never when school was going on, and 
he walked quicker than his mother up the 
hills, for he was eager. They entered the vesti- 
bule, and a great hum met them like that of the 
mill-house at home. He asked his mother what 
it was. 

It’s the children reading,” she answered, 
and he was very glad to hear it, for that was 
how he had read before he knew his letters. 
When he went in there were so many children 
sitting round a table that even at church there 
were not more. Others sat on their dinner- 
13 


A HAPPY BOY 


boxes along the wall ; some stood in groups 
around a blackboard ; the schoolmaster, an old 
grey-haired man, sat on a stool by the fireplace 
filling his pipe. When Eyvind and his mother 
entered, they all looked up and the mill-hum 
stopped, as when the water is turned off. They 
all looked at the new-comers. Eyvind’s mother 
greeted the schoolmaster, who returned her 
salutation. 

** Here I come with a little boy who wants to 
learn to read,” said his mother. 

** What’s the young man’s name ? ” asked the 
schoolmaster, fumbling in his leather pouch for 
tobacco. 

“ Eyvind,” said his mother. He knows his 
letters and he can put them together.” 

** Ah, indeed ! ” said the schoolmaster, come 
here, little white-head.” 

Eyvind went to him; the schoolmaster lifted 
him on his knee and took off his cap. 

*^What a pretty little boy,” said he, and 
stroked his hair; Eyvind looked up into his eyes 
and laughed. 


14 


A HAPPY BOY 


“ Is it at me you’re laughing? ” he frowned. 

Yes, of course it is,” answered Eyvind, and 
roared with laughter. Then the schoolmaster 
laughed too, the mother laughed, the children 
perceived that they might laugh as well, and so 
they all laughed together. 

And that was how Eyvind entered school. 

When he was to take his place they all 
wanted to make room for him ; but he took a 
good look round first. They whispered and 
pointed ; he turned around to every side with 
his cap in his hand, and his book under his 
arm. 

*‘Well, have you made up your mind ?” asked 
the schoolmaster, still working away at his pipe. 
Just as the boy was turning to the schoolmaster, 
he saw close beside him, down by the hearth- 
stone, sitting on a little red box, Marit of the 
many names ; she had hidden her face in her 
two hands and sat peeping out at him. 

I will sit here,” said Eyvind resolutely, and, 
taking a box, he seated himself by her side. 

Now she lifted the arm that was next to him 

15 


A HAPPY BOY 


a little and looked at him under her elbow ; he 
instantly covered his face too with both hands 
and looked at her under his elbow. So they 
sat behaving in this foolish way until she 
laughed, then he laughed, the children saw and 
laughed too; thereupon a terribly loud voice 
struck in, becoming milder by degrees however : 

Be quiet you young trolls, urchins, imps I 
be quiet and good, my poppets ! ” 

It was the schoolmaster, who had a way of 
flying out, but calmed down again before he 
finished. The school became instantly quiet, 
until the pepper-mill began to go again and they 
read aloud each in his book ; the trebles struck 
up in a high key, the deeper voices got sharper 
and sharper to keep in the ascendant, and now 
and then one or another gave a great whoop. 
In all his born days Eyvind had never had such 
fun. 

Is it always like this, here ? he whispered 
to Marit. 

Yes, just like this,” said she. 

By-and-by they had to go to the schoolmaster 

i6 


A HAPPY BOY 


and read ; a little boy was then set to learn 
.with them, and then they w'ere released and 
allowed to go back and sit quietly again. 

I’ve got a goat too, now,” said Marit. 

“ Have you ? ” 

Yes ; but he’s not so pretty as yours.” 

^^Why have you never come up on the rock 
again ? ” 

Grandfather is afraid I shall fall over.” 

But it’s not very high.” 

Grandfather won’t let me, all the same.” 

Mother knows such a lot of songs,” said 
Eyvind. 

** So does grandfather, I can tell you.” 

‘‘ Yes ; but he doesn’t know the ones mother 
knows.” 

Grandfather knows one about a dance. Do 
you want to hear it ? ” 

Yes, very much.” 

** Well then, you must come farther over here 
that the schoolmaster mayn’t hear.” 

He moved along and then she repeated to 
him a little bit of a song, four or five times over, 
17 - c 


A HAPPY BOY 


SO that the boy learned it ; and that was the 

first thing he learned at school. 

“ Dance,” shrieked the fiddle, 

And squeaked with its string so 
That up jumped the bailiff’s 
Son and cried " Ho ! ” 

'• Stop ! ” shouted Ola, 

Stuck out his leg, so 
It tripped up the bailiff, 

And all the girls laughed. 

“ Hop,” murmured Erik, 

And leaped to the roof-tree, 

Till all the beams cracked and 
The walls gave a scream. 

*' Stop! ” shouted Elling, 

Caught hold of his collar. 

And lifted him high — " You’re 
As weak as a cat 1 ” 

“ Hey 1 ” called out Rasmus, 

Caught Randi and spun her, 

** Hurry and give me 
That kiss, don’t you know ? ” 

"No,” answered Randi, 

And boxed his ears soundly, 

And slipped from his arm with 
" Take that for your pains 1 ” 

** Up children ! ” cried the schoolmaster “ As 
this is our first day you shall go early ; but first 
we must have prayers and a hymn.” 

At once a great racket sprang up in the 

iS 


A HAPPY BOY 


school ; they jumped on forms, ran about the 
room, and all talked at once. 

Be quiet you young imps, you young 
scamps, you young ruffians ; be quiet and walk 
across the room nicely ; there’? good children ! ” 
said the schoolmaster, and the^^ went quietly to 
their places and calmed down, whereupon the 
schoolmaster stood up before them and said a 
short prayer. Then they sang ; the school- 
master led in a strong bass, all the children 
standing with folded hands and singing with 
him. Eyvind stood lowest by the door with 
Marit and looked on ; thej’^, too, folded their 
hands, but they could not sing. 

That w^as his first day at school. 


19 


CHAPTER III 

Eyvind grew and became an active boy : at 
school he was amongst the first, and he was 
capable at his work at home. That was because 
at home he was fond of his mother and at 
school he was fond of his master. His father 
he saw but little, for he was either away fishing 
or else he was looking after their mill, where 
half the parish had their grinding done. 

The thing which most influenced his mind 
during these years was the schoolmaster’s history, 
which his mother told him one evening as they 
sat by the fire. It ran through all his books, it 
underlay every word the schoolmaster said ; he 
felt it in the air of the schoolroom when all was 
quiet. It filled him with obedience and respect, 
and gave him a quicker apprehension, as it were, 
of all that was taught him. This was the story : 


20 


A HAPPY BOY 


Baard was the schoolmaster’s name and he 
had a brother called Anders. They were very 
fond of each other ; both enlisted, lived in town 
together, and v/ere together in the war, when 
they both became corporals and served in the 
same company. When, after the war, they 
came home again, everybody thought them two 
stalwart fellows. Then their father died. He 
had a good deal of loose property which was 
difficult to divide evenly, so they said to each 
other that they would not fall out about it, but 
would put up the things to auction so that each 
could buy what he wished and then they would 
share the proceeds. So said so done. But 
their father possessed a large gold watch which 
was widely renowned, for it was the only gold 
watch people in those parts had ever seen. 
When this watch was put up many rich people 
tried for it, until the brothers, too, began to 
bid ; then the others gave way. Now Baard 
expected Anders to let him get the watch, and 
Anders expected the same of Baard ; each made 
his bid in turn to prove the other, and they 


21 


A HAPPY BOY 


looked across at each other whilst they bid. 
When the watch had got up to twenty dollars 
Baard felt it was not nice of his brother to bid 
against him, and kept on bidding until it got 
towards thirty dollars. As Anders still did not 
give in, it seemed to Baard that Anders neither 
remembered how good he had been to him, nor 
yet that he was the eldest. The watch got 
over thirty dollars, and Anders still kept on. 
Then Baard ran the watch up to forty dollars in 
one bid, and no longer looked at his brother. 
It was very quiet in the auction-room ; only the 
bailiff quietly repeated the figures. Anders 
thought as he stood there that if Baard could 
afford to give forty dollars he could too, and if 
Baard grudged him the watch he would have to 
take it ; so out-bid him. This seemed to 
Baard the greatest slight that had ever been put 
upon him ; he bid fifty dollars, quite softly. A 
great many people were standing round, and 
Anders thought he must not let his brother thus 
put him to shame in everybody's hearing, so he 
bid over him. Then Baard laughed: ‘^A hun- 


22 


A HAPPY BOY 


dred dollars and my brotherhood into the 
bargain,” said he ; turned, and went out of the 
room. Some one presently came out to him 
whilst he was busy saddling the horse he had 
bought just before. 

*‘The watch is yours,” said the man ; “Anders 
gave in.” 

The moment Baard heard this a sort of 
remorse fell upon him ; he thought of his 
brother and not of the watch. The saddle was 
on, but he paused with his hand on the horse’s 
back, uncertain whether he should start. Then 
a lot of people came out, Anders amongst them ; 
and so soon as he saw his brother standing there 
by the saddled horse, not knowing what was in 
Baard’s mind, he called out to him : 

“ Much good may the watch do you, Baard ! 
It won’t be going on the day when your brother 
runs after you any more.” 

“ Nor yet on the day when I ride home again,” 
answered Baard, with a white face, as he mounted 
his horse. The house in which they had lived 
with their father, neither of them entered again. 


23 


A HAPPY BOY 


Soon after, Anders married and settled as a 
cottar-tenant, but did not invite Baard to the 
wedding. Baard was not at church either. 

In the first year of Anders’ marriage the only 
cow he possessed was found dead by the north 
wall of the house, where it was tethered ; and 
nobody could make out what it had died of. 
Several misfortunes followed, and he went down 
in the world ; but the worst was when in mid- 
winter his barn was burnt with all that was in 
it; nobody knew how the fire broke out. 

“Somebody that hates me has done this,” said 
Anders, and he wept that night. He became a 
poor man and lost all heart for work. 

Next evening Baard stood in his room. Anders 
was lying on the bed when he entered, but he 
uniped up. 

“ What do you want here ? ” he asked, but 
stopped short and stood looking fixedly at his 
brother. Baard waited a little before he 
answered : 

“ I want to help you Anders ; the luck’s been 
against you.” 


24 


A HAPPY BOY 


^^The luck’s been as you wished it to be, 
Baard. Go, or I mayn’t be able to keep my 
hands off you.” 

You are mistaken Anders ; I’m sorry ” 

Go Baard, or God help both you and 
me!” 

Baard drew back a pace or two ; with a quiver- 
ing voice he said : 

If you’ll take the watch, you shall have it.” 

Go Baard ! ” shouted the other, and Baard 
went. 

With Baard things had gone in this wise. 
So soon as he heard that his brother was in 
distress his heart melted towards him, but pride 
kept him back. He felt himself much drawn 
towards the church, and there he formed good 
resolutions, but he had not the strength to carry 
them out. He often set forth and came within 
sight of the house, but now some one came out 
of the door, now there was a stranger there, or 
Anders was out chopping wood ; so that there 
was always something in the way. One Sunday 
in midwinter, however, he was once more at 

25 D 


A HAPPY BOY 


church and Anders was there too. Baard saw 
him ; he had grown pale and thin, he wore the 
same clothes as when they were together, but 
now they were old and ragged. During the 
sermon he looked up at the pastor, and it seemed 
to Baard that he was kind and gentle. He 
remembered their childhood and what a good 
boy he was. Baard himself took the Sacrament 
that day, and he made the solemn promise before 
his God that, come what might, he would be 
reconciled to his brother. This purpose pene- 
trated his soul just as he drank the wine, and 
when he rose he intended to go straight over and 
sit down beside him, but some one was sitting in 
the way and his brother did not look up. After 
service there were still difficulties : there were 
too many people about ; his brother’s wife was 
walking by his side and he did not know her. 
He thought it would be best to go to his house 
and have a serious talk with him. When even- 
ing came he did so. He went right up to the door 
and listened, but then he heard his own name 
mentioned. It was the woman who spoke. 

26 


A HAPPY BOY 


He took the Sacrament to-day/’ said she. 

I daresay he was thinking of you.’’ 

** No, he wasn’t thinking of me,” said Anders. 

I know him ; he thinks only of himself.” 

For a long time nothing more was said. 
Baard perspired as he stood there, although it 
was a cold evening. The woman inside was 
busy over a pot that bubbled and hissed on the 
fire, an infant cried now and then, and Anders 
rocked the cradle. 

Then she said these words : 

I believe you two are always thinking of 
each other and won't own to it.” 

^‘Let us talk of something else,” answered 
Anders. He rose soon after to go to the door. 
Baard had to hide himself in the woodshed, and 
Anders came to that very place to fetch an 
armful of wood. Baard stood in the corner and 
saw him distinctly ; he had taken off his 
wretched church-clothes and had on the uniform 
in which he had come home from the war, just 
like Baard's. The brothers had promised each 
other never to wear these uniforms, but to leave 
27 


A HAPPY BOY 


them as heirlooms in the family. Anders’ was 
now patched and worn out, his strong, well- 
developed body appeared as if wrapped in a 
bundle of rags, and just then Baard could hear 
the gold watch ticking in his own pocket. 
Anders went to the place where the faggots lay ; 
instead of immediately stooping to load himself, 
he stopped, leaned back against a pile of wood 
and looked out at the sky, which was clear and 
glittering with stars. Then he heaved a sigh 
and said : 

Well — well — well — my God, my God!” 
As long as Baard lived he heard those words. 
He wanted to step forward and greet him, but 
just then Anders coughed and it sounded so 
harsh. That was enough to check him. Anders 
took his armful of wood and brushed by Baard 
so closely that the twigs scratched his face and 
made it smart. 

He stood motionless on the same spot for 
quite ten minutes, and might have stood much 
longer had it not been that after so much strong 
emotion he was seized with a shivering fit that 
28 


A HAPPY BOY 


shook him from head to foot. Then he went 
out ; he acknowledged frankly to himself that he 
was too cowardly to go in, so he now formed 
another plan. Out of a cinder-box which stood 
in the corner he had just left, he took some 
pieces of coal, found a splinter of resinous wood, 
went up into the barn, closed the door after him 
and struck a light. When he had got the wood 
lighted he looked for the peg upon which Anders 
hung his lantern when he came out in the early 
morning to thresh. Baard took off his gold 
watch and hung it on the peg, then extinguished 
his splinter and went away. He felt his heart 
so lightened that he ran over the snow like a 
young boy. 

The next day he heard that the barn had 
been burned down in the night. Sparks had 
probably fallen from the splinter which he had 
lighted that he might see to hang up the 
watch. 

This so overpowered him that all that day he 
sat like a sick person, took down his psalm- 
book and sang, so that the people in the house 


29 


A HAPPY BOY 


thought there must be something wrong with 
him. But in the evening he went out ; it was 
bright moonlight. He went to his brother’s 
farm, poked about on the site of the fire — and 
found, sure enough, a little lump of gold. It 
was the watch, melted down. 

With this in his hand he went in to his 
brother that evening and besought him to make 
peace. What came of this attempt has already 
been related. 

A little girl had seen him scraping among the 
ashes on the site of the fire ; some boys, on 
their way to a dance, had noticed him on the 
Sunday evening going down towards Anders’ 
farm ; the people at home had told how strangely 
he had behaved on the Monday ; and as every- 
one knew that he and his brother were bitter 
enemies, the matter was reported to the authori- 
ties and an inquiry set on foot. No one could 
prove anything against him, but suspicion clung 
to him. Reconciliation with his brother was now 
more impossible than ever. 

Anders had thought of Baard when the barn 
30 


A HAPPY BOY 


was burnt, but had said so to no one. When, 
on the following evening, he saw him in his 
room, so white and strange-looking, he immedi- 
ately thought : 

Remorse has got hold of him now, but for 
such a horrible crime against his brother there 
can be no forgiveness." 

Afterwards he heard how people had seen 
him go down to the buildings on the evening 
of the fire, and although nothing was brought to 
light by the inquiry, he was firmly convinced 
that Baard was the culprit. They met at the 
inquiry ; Baard in his good clothes, Anders in 
his rags. As Anders entered, Baard looked 
over at him with such beseeching eyes that 
Anders felt the look in his very marrow. 

He wants me to say nothing,” thought 
Anders, and when he was asked whether he 
believed his brother had done the deed he said 
loudly and distinctly : 

No." 

But Anders took to drink from that day, and 
soon fell into a bad way. Baard suffered still 


31 


A HAPPY BOY 


more, although he did not drink. One would not 
have known him for the same man. 

At last, late one evening, a poor woman came 
into the little room in which Baard lodged, and 
asked him to come out a little way 'with her. 
He knew it was his brother’s wife. Baard at 
once understood upon what errand she had 
come ; he turned as white as death, put on his 
things, and went with her without speaking a 
word. A faint glimmer of light came from 
Anders’ window, and they made for the gleam ; 
for there was no path over the snow. When 
Baard stood once more in the passage he was 
met by a strange odour, which turned him sick. 
They went in. A little child was sitting on the 
hearth eating coal ; its face was black all over, 
but it looked up, and laughed with white teeth. 
It was his brother’s child. In the bed, with all 
kinds of clothes over him, lay Anders, wasted, 
with high, transparent forehead, looking with 
hollow eyes at his brother. Baard’s knees 
trembled beneath him ; he sat down on the foot 
of the bed and burst into a violent fit of weeping. 
32 


A HAPPY BOY 


The sick man looked at him immovably and 
was silent. At last he told his wife to go out, 
but Baard motioned her to stay, — and now the 
two brothers began to talk together. They 
explained themselves from the day of their 
bidding for the watch right down to the moment 
of their present meeting. Baard concluded by 
taking out the lump of gold which he always 
carried about him, and each now confessed to 
the other that in all these years he had not felt 
happy for a single day. Anders did not say 
much for he was not able, but Baard sat at his 
bedside all through his illness. 

Now I am quite well,” said Anders one 
morning when he woke, *'now, my dear brother, 
we will live long together and never part, as in 
the old days.” 

But that day he died. 

Baard took his wife and child home with him, and 
from that day forward they wanted for nothing. 

What the brothers had said to each other as 
Baard sat by the bed made its way out through 
the walls and the night, and became known to 


33 


A HAPPY BOY 


every one in the village, and no one was more 
highly esteemed than Baard. Every one paid 
respect to him as they would to one who has had 
great sorrow and found joy again, or as to one 
who has been long absent. Baard was com- 
forted by the friendliness which surrounded him, 
and devoted himself to the service of God. He 
wanted some occupation, he said, and so the old 
corporal took to teaching school. What he 
instilled into the children first and last was love ; 
and he practised it himself, so that the little ones 
were devoted to him as a playfellow and father 
all in one. 

This, then, was the story of the old school- 
master, and it took such a hold on Eyvind’s 
mind that it became to him at once a religion 
and an education. The schoolmaster appeared 
to him almost a supernatural being, although he 
sat there so sociably and pretended to scold 
them. Not to know a lesson for him was im- 
possible, and if he got a smile or a pat on the 
head after saying it he felt a glow of happiness 
for a whole day. 


34 


A HAPPY BOY 


It always made the deepest impression on the 
children when the schoolmaster, before singing, 
would make a little speech ; and at least once 
every week he used to read them a few verses 
about brotherly love. When he read the first of 
these verses there was always a quiver in his 
voice, although he had read it again and again 
for twenty or thirty years ; it ran thus : 

Love thy neighbour, Christian leal, 

Tread him not with iron heel 
If in dust he lies. 

All things living join to prove 
The creative power of love 
When a pure heart tries. 

But when the whole poem was finished and 
he had paused a moment after it, he would look 
at them with a twinkle in his eyes : 

Up with you, youngsters, and get you home 
nicely without any noise — walk nicely so that I 
may hear nothing but good accounts of you, little 
people I ” 

And then, while they were making a very 
Babel in searching for their books and dinner- 
boxes, he would cry above the uproar : 

35 


A HAPPY BOY 


** Come back again to-morrow as soon as it’s 
light, or you’ll catch it ! ^ Come back in good 
time little girls and boys, then we’ll go to work 
with a will ! ” 


36 


CHAPTER IV 


Of Eyvind’s further development up to a year 
before his confirmation there is not much to tell. 
He read in the morning, worked in the day, and 
played in the evening. 

As he was of an unusually cheerful disposition, 
it was not long before the young people of the 
neighbourhood, in their playtime, were glad to 
be where he was. A long hill ran down to the 
cove in front of the farm, skirting the rock on 
the one side and the wood on the other, as 
already related ; every fine evening and every 
Sunday, all the winter through, this was the 
chosen toboggan-slope of all the young sledgers 
of the village. 

Eyvind was lord of the slope and owned two 
sledges ** Spanker ” and ** Galloper ; ” the latter 
he lent to larger parties, the former he steered 
37 


A HAPPY BOY 


himself with Marit on his lap. At this season, 
the first thing Eyvind did when he woke was to 
look out and see whether it was thawing ; and 
if he saw a grey veil lying over the bushes on 
the other side of the cove, or if he heard the 
roof dripping, he was as slow over his dressing 
as if there was nothing to do that day. But if 
he awoke, especially on Sundays, to crackling 
cold and clear weather, best clothes and no 
work, only catechism or church in the forenoon, 
and then the whole afternoon and evening free, 
hurrah ! then the boy jumped out of bed with 
one bound, dressed as if the house were on fire, 
and could scarcely eat any breakfast. The 
moment it was afternoon and the first boy came 
on his snow-shoes along the roadside, swinging 
his staff over his head and shouting so that the 
hills around the lake rang again, and then 
one came down the road on his sledge and then 
another and another — straightway off shot the 
boy on his ** Spanker ” down the whole length of 
the slope, landing amongst the late comers with a 
long, shrill shout, which was re-echoed from ridge 
38 


A HAPPY BOY 


to ridge along the cove, until it died away in the 
far distance. He would then look round for 
Marit, but when once she had come, he troubled 
no more about her. 

Then one Christmas came when the boy and 
the girl were both about sixteen or seventeen 
and were to be confirmed in the spring. On 
the fourth day of Christmas week there was a 
big party at the upper Hill Farm where Marit 
lived with her grandparents, who had brought 
her up. They had promised her this party 
every year for three years, and at last, these 
holidays, they had to fulfil their promise. Ey- 
vind was invited. 

It was a cloudy evening, not cold ; no stars 
were to be seen ; the morrow might bring rain. 
A drowsy breeze blew over the snow, which 
was swept clear in patches on the white uplands, 
while in other places it had formed deep drifts. 
Along by the roadside where no snow happened 
to lie there was a margin of slippery ice ; it lay 
blue-black between the snow and the bare ground, 
and could be seen glimmering here and there as 
39 


A HAPPY BOY 


far as the eye could reach. On the mountain- 
sides there had been snow-slips ; their tracks 
were black and bare, while on each side of them 
the snow lay smooth and white, except where 
the birch-trees clustered together in dark patches. 
There was no water to be seen, but half-naked 
moors and bogs stretched up to riven and lower- 
ing mountains. 

The farms lay in large clusters in the midst 
of the level ground ; in the dusk of the winter 
evening they looked like black masses from 
which light shot forth over the fields, now from 
one window, now from another ; to judge by the 
lights there was a great deal going on inside. 
Young people, grown-up and half-grown up, 
flocked together from various quarters. Very 
few kept to the road ; almost all, at any rate, 
left it when they drew near the farms, and 
slipped away, one behind the cowhouse, a pair 
under the store-house and so forth ; while some 
rushed away behind the barn and howled like 
foxes, others answered farther off like cats. 
One stood behind the wash-house and barked 


40 


A HAPPY BOY 


like an old angry dog, who had broken his chain, 
until there was a general chase. The girls 
came marching along in large bands ; they had a 
few boys, mostly little boys, with them, who 
skirmished around them to show off. When 
one of the gangs of girls came near the house 
and one or other of the big boys caught sight of 
them, the girls scattered and fled into the 
passages or down the garden, and had to be 
dragged out and into the rooms one by one. 
Some were so extremely bashful that Marit had 
to be sent for, when she would come out and 
positively force them in. Sometimes one would 
come who had not been invited and whose 
intention it was not to go in, but only to look 
on, until in the end she would be persuaded just 
to have one single dance. Those guests whom 
she really cared for, Marit invited into a little 
room where the old people sat and smoked and 
grandmother did the honours ; there they were 
kindly received and treated. Eyvind was not 
amongst the favoured ones, and he thought that 
rather strange. 


41 


F 


A HAPPY BOY 


The best pla^’er of the village could not come 
till late, so they had meanwhile to manage with 
the old one, a cottager called Grey Knut. He 
knew four dances, two spring-dances, a hailing* 
and an old, so-called Napoleon waltz ; but he 
had been obliged gradually to turn the hailing 
into a schottische by taking it in different time ; 
and in the same way a spring-dance had to do 
duty as a polka-mazurka. He struck up, and 
the dancing began. Eyvind did not dare to 
join in at first, for there were too many grown- 
up people ; but the half-grown ones soon banded 
together, pushed each other forward, drank a 
little strong ale to hearten them, and then 
Eyvind also joined in. The room grew very 
hot, the fun and the ale mounted to their 
heads. 

Marit danced more than any one else that 
evening, probably because the party was in her 
grandparents’ house, and so it happened that 
Eyvind often caught her eye, but she always 

* The “spring-dance” and “hailing” are characteristic 
peasant dances. 


42 


A HAPPY BOY 


danced with some one else. He wanted to 
dance with her himself, so he sat out one dance 
in order to run to her directly it ended, and this 
he did ; but a tall, swarthy fellow with bushy 
hair pushed in front of him. 

Get away, youngster!” cried he and gave 
Eyvind a shove, so that he nearly fell backwards 
over Mark. Never had such a thing happened 
to him, never had any one been other than kind 
to him, never had he been called youngster ” 
when he wanted to join in anything. He red- 
dened to the roots of his hair, but said nothing, 
and drew back to where the new musician, just 
arrived, had taken his seat and was tuning up. 
There was silence amongst the crowd ; they 
were waiting to hear the first loud note from 
*Hhe right man.” He tuned and tried for a 
long time, but at length he struck up a spring- 
dance, the boys shouted and hopped, and pair 
by pair whirled into the circle. Eyvind looked 
at Marit dancing with the bushy-haired man, 
she laughed over the man’s shoulder so that her 
white teeth showed, and Eyvind, for the first 


43 


A HAPPY BOY 


time in his life, was aware of a strange, tingling 
pain in his breast. 

He looked at her again and again, and the 
more he looked the clearer it seemed to him 
that Marit was quite grown-up. 

But it can’t be so,” thought he, for she 
still goes sledging with us.” 

Grown-up she was though, and the bushy- 
haired man drew her down upon his lap after 
the dance was over ; she broke loose from him, 
but remained sitting at his side. 

Eyvind looked at the man. He had on fine 
blue Sunday clothes, a blue-checked shirt 
and silk cravat. He had a small face, bold, 
blue eyes, a laughing, defiant mouth ; he was 
handsome. Eyvind looked again and again, 
and at last he looked also at himself. He had 
got new trousers at Christmas, of which he was 
very proud, but now he saw that they were 
only grey frieze ; his jacket was of the same 
stuff, but old and soiled, the knitted waistcoat of 
common yarn, lozenge-pattern, also old and with 
two bright buttons and one black one. He 


44 


A HAPPY BOY 


looked around him and thought that very few 
were so poorly dressed as he. Marit had on a 
black bodice of fine stuff, a silver brooch in her 
neckerchief and a folded silk handkerchief in her 
hand. On the back of her head she wore a 
little silk cap which was fastened under her 
chin with long ribbons. She was red and 
white ; she laughed ; the man talked with her 
and laughed too. Again the music struck up 
and again they stood up to dance. A comrade 
came and sat beside him. 

Why aren’t you dancing, Eyvind ? ” said he, 
gently. 

** Oh no,” said Eyvind, do I look like it ? 

“ Look like it,” said his comrade, but before he 
could get further Eyvind said : 

Who is that in the blue clothes, dancing 
with Marit ? ” 

That’s John Hatlen, who’s been away so 
long at the agricultural college; he’s going to 
take the farm now.” 

At that moment Marit and John sat down. 

“ Who is that fair-haired boy sitting there 


45 


A HAPPY BOY 


beside the fiddler and staring at me ? ” asked 
John. 

Marit laughed and answered : 

“ That’s the cottar’s son, down at the 
croft.” 

Of course Eyvind had always known he was 
a cottar’s son, but until now he had never felt 
it. He had a feeling as though his body had 
suddenly shrunk and he was shorter than all the 
others. To keep himself in heart, he had to try 
to think of everything that had hitherto made 
him happy and proud, from the sledging- times 
down to single words that had pleased him. As 
he thought, too, of his mother and father sitting 
at home and thinking that he was enjoying 
himself, he could scarcely help bursting into 
tears. All around him were laughing and 
joking, the fiddle boomed right in his ear. 
There came a moment when something black 
seemed to rise up before him, but then he 
remembered the school with all his comrades, 
and the schoolmaster who patted him on the 
back, and the minister who had given him a 

46 


A HAPPY BOY 


book at his last examination and said he was a 
clever boy ; his father himself had sat and 
looked on and had smiled at him, 

** Be good now, Eyvind,” he seemed to hear 
the schoolmaster saying, and he felt as though 
he were a little boy again, sitting on his lap. 
** Good heavens, you know, there’s nothing to 
trouble about ; at bottom everybody is good ; it 
only seems as if they were not. We two will 
be clever fellows, Eyvind, just as clever as John 
Hatlen ; we shall get just as good clothes, and 
dance with Marit in a bright room among 
hundreds of people, smiling and talking; then 
there’ll be a bridal pair standing before the 
minister, and I in the choir smiling across at 
you, and mother in the house, a big farm, 
twenty cows, three horses, and Marit good and 

kind, just as she was at school ” 

The dance ended and Eyvind saw Marit 
before him on a bench, John still by her side 
with his face close to hers ; once more there 
came a great tingling pain in his breast, and he 
seemed to be saying to himself : 


47 


A HAPPY BOY 


It’s true, after all, I am suffering.” At that 
moment Marit rose and came straight up to 
him. She bent down over him. 

You mustn’t sit and glower at me like that,” 
said she ; ** can’t you see that people are 
noticing it ? Take a partner and dance now.” 

He made no answer but looked at her, and 
in spite of himself his eyes filled with 
tears. She was just turning away when she 
noticed this and stopped ; she suddenly flushed 
as red as fire, turned away and went to her 
seat, but immediately rose again and seated 
herself in another place. John at once followed 
her. 

Eyvind rose from the bench, went out 
amongst the people in the yard, seated himself 
under a pent-house roof, then wondered what 
he was doing there, got up and then sat down 
again, for might he not as well sit here as any- 
where else ? He did not care to go home nor 
yet to go indoors again ; it was all one to him. 
He was in no state to reflect upon what had 
happened; he did not want to think about it. 

48 


A HAPPY BOY 


Neither did he care to think of the future ; 
there was nothing that had any attraction for 
him. 

** What am I thinking of, after all ? ” he 
asked himself half-aloud, and hearing his own 
voice he thought : 

** So you can still speak — can you laugh ? ” 

He tried : yes, he could laugh ; and then he 
went on laughing, loud, still louder ; and then 
it seemed to him a great joke that he should be 
sitting there laughing all alone, and that made 
him laugh again. But his friend Hans, who 
had been sitting by his side indoors, now 
followed him out. 

Why, what on earth are you laughing at ? ” 
he asked, stopping before the pent-house. Then 
Eyvind left off. 

Hans stood there as if waiting to see what 
would happen next ; Eyvind rose, looked 
cautiously round and then said softly : 

** ril tell you why I always used to be so 
happy, Hans ; it was because I never really 
cared for anybody. But from the day we care 
49 


G 


A HAPPY BOY 


for somebody our happiness is over.” And he 
burst into tears. 

Eyvind I ” a voice whispered out in the 
yard, ** Eyvind ! ” He stopped and listened. 

Eyvind ! ” repeated the voice once more, a 
little louder. It must be the person he thought. 

** Yes,” answered he, also in a whisper, 
drying his eyes quickly and stepping forward. 
A girl softly crossed the yard. 

Are you there ? ” she asked. 

“ Yes,” he answered, and stood still. 

“ Who is with you ? ” 

“ It’s Hans.” Hans wanted to go. 

** No, no ! ” Eyvind begged of him. 

She now came close up to them, but slowly ; 
it was Marit. 

^‘You went away so soon,” she said to 
Eyvind. He did not know what to answer. 
Thereupon she too became embarrassed ; they 
were all three silent. Hans slipped quietly 
away and left the two standing there, not look- 
ing at each other and not moving. Then she 
whispered : 


50 


A HAPPY BOY 


‘‘ I've been going about all the evening with 
some Christmas sweeties in my pocket for 
you, Eyvind, but I couldn't give them to you 
before." 

She fished up some apples, a slice of town- 
baked cake and a little half-pint bottle, which 
she held out to him saying they were for him. 
Eyvind pocketed them. 

** Thanks," he said, holding out his hand ; * 
hers was warm, and he let it go at once as if he 
had burnt himself. 

** You have danced a great deal this evening." 
Yes, I have,” she answered, but you 
haven't danced much,” she added. 

** No, I haven’t ” answered he. 

** Why haven’t you ? ” 

Oh " 

Eyvind ! ” 

Yes." 

Why did you sit and look at me like that ? " 
Oh " A pause. 

* It is the peasant custom to shake hands in thanking for 
a gift. 


51 


A HAPPY BOY 


Marit ! ” 

** Yes.” 

Why didn’t you like my looking at you ? ” 

There were such a lot of people there.” 

You danced a great deal with John Hatlen 
this evening.” 

*^Oh yes.” 

He dances well.” 

Do you think so ? ” 

** Don’t you think so ? ” 

‘^Oh yes.” 

I don’t know how it is, but this evening I 
can’t bear you to dance with him, Marit.” He 
turned away ; it had cost him an effort to say 
this. 

I don’t understand you, Eyvind.” 

“ I don’t understand it myself : it’s so stupid 
of me. Good-by Marit, I’m going now.” 

He’ made a step without looking round. 
Then she said as he moved away : 

You’ve been seeing things wrongly to-night, 
Eyvind.” 

He stopped. 


52 


A HAPPY BOY 


There’s one thing I haven’t seen wrongly 
and that is that you’re a grown-up girl.” 

This was not what she expected him to say, 
so she was silent ; and at that moment she 
saw the light of a pipe right in front of her. 
It was her grandfather who had just come round 
the corner and was passing by. He stopped. 

Oh you’re here are you, Marit ? ” 

Yes.” 

Who’s that you’re talking to ? ” 

Eyvind.” 

Who did you say ? ” 

Eyvind Pladsen.” 

Oh, the cottar’s boy at Pladsen : come in 
at once with me.” 


53 


CHAPTER V 

When Eyvind opened his eyes next morning 
it was from a long, refreshing sleep and happy 
dreams. Marit had lain on the rock and thrown 
down leaves at him ; he had caught them and 
thrown them up again ; they went up and down 
in a thousand colours and figures ; the sun 
shone on them, and the whole rock sparkled. 
As he awoke he looked round, expecting still 
to see the picture of his dream ; then he recol- 
lected the previous day, and immediately the 
same tingling, bitter pain in his breast began 
again. 

I suppose I shall never be quit of it,” 
thought he, and he felt unstrung, as if his whole 
future had slipped away from him. 

** You've slept a long time ” said his mother, 
who was sitting beside him spinning, Up 
54 


A HAPPY BOY 


now, and have something to eat ; your father is 
off to the wood already, felling timber.” 

His mother’s voice seemed to help him, he 
got up with a little more courage. No doubt 
his mother was thinking of her own dancing- 
days, for she sat humming to herself as she 
span, whilst he dressed and ate his breakfast. 
To hide his face from her he had to rise from 
table and go to the window. The same weari- 
ness and oppression had come over him again, 
and he had to pull himself together and think of 
setting to work. 

The weather had changed, the air had turned a 
little colder, so that what yesterday threatened 
to fall as rain, fell to-day as wet snow. He put 
on snow-socks, a fur cap, a sailor’s jacket and 
mittens, said good-by, and went off with his axe 
on his shoulder. 

The snow fell slowly in large, wet flakes ; he 
struggled up the sledging slope, and turning to 
the left at the top, entered, the wood. Never 
before, winter or summer, had he climbed that 
hill without remembering something that made 
55 


A HAPPY BOY 


him happy, or that he longed for. Now it was 
a dead, heavy tramp ; he slipped in the wet 
snow ; his knees were stiff either from yesterday’s 
dancing or from his general depression. He 
felt now that it was all over with sledge-running 
for that year, and that meant for ever. He 
longed for something else as he went in amongst 
the tree-trunks where the snow fell silently ; a 
scared ptarmigan shrieked and flapped its wings 
a few yards ahead of him ; otherwise everything 
stood as though waiting for a word that was 
never spoken. But what it was that he 3^earned 
for he did not distinctly know, only it was not 
at home, nor yet abroad, it was not merriment, 
nor yet work ; it was something high up in the 
air, soaring like a song. Presently it resolved 
itself into a definite wish, and that was to be 
confirmed in the spring, and to take the first 
place in the confirmation-class. His heart beat 
fast as he thought of it, and even before he 
could hear his father’s axe in the trembling 
underwood, this wish had taken a stronger hold 
of him than anything since he was born. 

56 


A HAPPY BOY 


His father, as usual, did not say much to 
him ; they hewed each by himself and collected 
the wood into heaps. Now and then they would 
meet, and on one of these occasions Eyvind 
remarked gloomily ; 

** A cottar has a hard time of it.” 

** Not worse than other people,” said his 
father, spitting in his hands and taking up his 
axe. When the tree was felled and his father 
dragged it up into the pile, Eyvind said : 

** If you had a farm of your own you wouldn’t 
have to toil like that.” 

*‘Oh, then there would be other burdens to 
bear,” and he tugged with all his strength. 

The mother came up with their dinner, and 
they sat down, The mother was cheerful ; she 
sat and hummed, keeping time by tapping one 
shoe against the other. 

‘^What are you going to be, now you’re 
getting big, Eyvind ? ” said she suddenly. 

A cottar’s son hasn’t much choice,” he answered. 

^‘The schoolmaster says you must go to the 
training-college,” said she, 

57 


H 


A HAPPY BOY 


Can you go there for nothing ? ” asked 
Eyvind. 

** The schoolmaster will pay your fees,” said 
his father, as he ate. 

Would you like to go ? ” asked his mother. 

I should like to learn, but not to be a 
schoolmaster.” 

They were all silent for a moment ; she began 
humming again and looked straight before her. 
But Eyvind went off and sat down by himself. 

*^We don’t exactly need to borrow from the 
school-fund,” said she when the boy had gone. 
Her husband looked at her. 

Poor folks like us ? ” 

“ I don’t like your constantly giving yourself 
out for a poor man when you’re not one.” 

They both glanced at the boy to see whether 
he was within hearing. Then the husband 
looked sharply at his wife. 

You’re talking of what you don’t understand.” 

She laughed. 

It’s like not thanking God that things have 
gone well with us,” said she, becoming serious. 

58 


A HAPPY BOY 


** We can surely thank him without putting 
silver buttons on our coats,” said the father. 

Yes, but not by letting Eyvind go as he did 
to the dance yesterday.” 

Eyvind is a cottar’s son.” 

** That’s no reason why he shouldn’t be 
decently dressed, since we can afford it.” 

** That’s right — talk so that he can hear.” 

“ He doesn’t hear ; but I shouldn’t be sorry 
if he did,” said she, looking boldly at her 
husband who was frowning, and put down his 
spoon to take up his pipe. 

** Such a wretched holding as we have,” said 
he. 

** I can’t help laughing at you, always talking 
about the holding. Why do you never say 
anything about the mills ? ” 

** Oh, you and your mills ! I believe you 
can’t bear to hear them going.” 

Oh, I love it, thank goodness ! I wish 
they were going night and day.” 

They’ve been standing now since before 
Christmas.” 


59 


A HAPPY BOY 


^‘People don’t have their corn ground in 
Christmas week.” 

They have it ground whenever there’s 
water ; but since they got a mill at Nystrom, 
things have been very slack.” 

** The schoolmaster didn’t say so to-day.” 

** I shall get a closer fellow than the school- 
master to manage our money.” 

YeS; your own wife is the last person he 
ought to speak to.” 

Thore did not answer this, he had just got 
his pipe lighted ; he leant up against a bundle 
of faggots and shifted his gaze, first from his 
wife, then from his son, until at last he fixed it 
upon an old crow’s nest which hung all askew 
on a fir-branch a little way off. 

Eyvind sat by himself, with the future stretch- 
ing before him like a long, clear sheet of ice, 
over which, for the first time, he let his fancy 
sweep him away from the one shore right to the 
other. He felt that poverty barred the way on 
all sides, but for that very reason all his 
thoughts were bent upon overcoming it. From 
6o 


A HAPPY BOY 


Marit it had no doubt parted him for ever ; he 
regarded her as almost promised to John Hatlen ; 
but his whole mind was set upon making life a 
race with him and her. In order not to be 
elbowed aside again as he was yesterday, he 
would hold aloof until he had made his way ; 
and that, with God’s help, he would make his 
way, it never entered his head to doubt. He 
had a dim feeling that his best plan was to stick 
to his books ; to what end they should lead he 
must find out later. 

The snow was fit for sledging in the evening, 
the children came to the slope, but not Eyvind. 
He sat by the fire and read, and had not a 
moment to spare. The children waited for a 
long time ; at last some of them got impatient, 
came up and put their faces against the window- 
panes and called in, but he made as though he 
did not hear. Others came, and evening after 
evening they hung about outside in great sur- 
prise; but he turned his back on them and read, 
and fought faithfully to grasp the meaning. He 
afterwards heard that Marit did not come either. 

6i 


A HAPPY BOY 


He Studied with such diligence that even his 
father could not but think he was overdoing it. 
He grew very grave; his face, which had been so 
round and soft, became thinner, sharper, and his 
eye harder. He seldom sang, and never played ; 
he never seemed to have time enough. When 
temptation came upon him, it seemed as though 
some one whispered : By-and-by, by-and-by ! ” 
and always by-and-by ! " For some time the 
children ran on their snow shoes, and shouted 
and laughed as before, but as they could not 
tempt him out to them either by the merry 
sounds of their sledging or by calling in to him 
with their faces against the window, they gradu- 
ally kept away ; they found other playgrounds, 
and soon the slope was deserted. 

But the schoolmaster soon noticed that it was 
not the old Eyvind who learnt his lessons as a 
matter of course, and played as a matter of 
necessity. He often talked with him and tried 
to draw him out ; but he could not get at the 
boy’s heart so easily as in the old days. He 
also talked to his parents, and, having taken 
62 


A HAPPY BOY 


counsel with them,’ he came down one Sunday 
evening late in the winter and said, when he 
had sat for some time : 

** Come along, Eyvind, let us go out a little ; 
I want to have a talk with you.” 

Eyvind put on his things and went with him. 
They happened to take the direction of the Hill 
Farms, conversing freely on indifferent subjects. 
When they drew near the farms, the school- 
master turned off towards one which lay in the 
middle, and as they advanced they heard shouts 
and sounds of merriment proceeding from it. 

What’s going on here?” asked Eyvind. 

A dance,” said the schoolmaster, “ shall we 
not go in ? ” 

No.” 

Won’t you join in a dance, my boy ? ” 

** No, not yet.” 

“ Not yet ? When, then ? ” 

He did not answer. 

“ What do you mean by yei ? 

As the boy still made no answer the school- 
master said : 


63 


A HAPPY BOY 


" Come now, no nonsense.’^ 

“ No, I’m not going in ! ” 

He was very determined and agitated besides. 
‘^Strange that your old schoolmaster should have 
to stand here and entreat you to go to a dance ! ” 
There was a long silence. 

“Is there some one in there whom you’re 
afraid to see ? ” 

“ How should I know who is there ? ” 

“ But there might be some one ? ” 

Eyvind was silent. 

Then the schoolmaster went close up to him 
and laid his hand on his shoulder. 

“ Are you afraid of seeing Marit ? ” 

Eyvind looked to the ground, and his breath- 
ing became heavy and short. 

“Tell me, Eyvind.” 

Eyvind was silent. 

“ I daresay you don’t like to own it, since 
you’re not confirmed ; but tell me all the same, 
my dear Eyvind, and you sha’n’t repent it.” 

Eyvind looked up, but could not get out a 
word, and had to look away again. 

64 


A HAPPY BOY 


I could see you hadn’t been happy lately ; 
does she care more for others than for you ? ” 

As Eyvind did not answer even now, the 
schoolmaster felt rather hurt and turned from 
him. They walked homewards. 

When they had gone a good way, the 
schoolmaster stopped to let Eyvind overtake him. 

** I suppose you’re longing to be confirmed,” 
said he. 

‘‘Yes.” 

“ What do you mean to do afterwards ? ” 

“ I should like to go to the training-college.” 

“ And be a schoolmaster ? ” 

“ No.” 

“ You’re above that, eh ? ” 

Eyvind was silent. They again went on a 
good way. 

“ When you’ve been to the training-college, 
what then ? ” 

“ I haven’t really thought about that.” 

“ If you had money I suppose you’d like to 
buy a farm ? ” 

“ Yes, but keep the mills.” 

65 


I 


A HAPPY BOY 


Then it would be better for you to go to the 
School of Agriculture.” 

“ Do they learn as much there as at the 
training-college ? ” 

“ Oh no, but they learn what’s going to be of 
use to them afterwards.” 

** Can you take honours there, too ? ” 

Why do you ask ? ” 

I should like to learn things thoroughly.” 

That you can do without taking honours.” 

They walked on again in silence till they saw 
Pladsen; a light shone out from the sitting- 
room, the rock loomed darkly in the winter 
night, the lake lay below covered with smooth, 
sparkling ice, the wood, with no snow on it, 
encircled the still cove ; the moon shone out and 
mirrored the wood in the ice. 

It is beautiful here at Pladsen,” said the 
schoolmaster. Eyvind could sometimes see 
it with the same eyes as when his mother 
told fairy-tales, or with the vision he had when 
he raced down the hill on his sledge : so he 
saw it now ; everything seemed elevated and 
clear. 


66 


A HAPPY BOY 


“Yes, it is beautiful here,” he said, but 
sighed as he spoke. 

“Your father has been contented with the 
holding ; couldn’t you be contented here too ? ” 

The happy vision of the place all at once 
vanished. The schoolmaster stood as though 
waiting for an answer ; receiving none, he shook 
his head, and they went indoors. He sat there 
awhile with them, but had very little to say, so 
that the others became silent too. When he 
said good-by, both husband and wife went out- 
side the door with him ; they seemed to 
expect him to say something. Meanwhile they 
all three stood looking up at the evening sky. 

“ It seems so unnaturally quiet here,” said 
the mother at length, “ since the children have 
gone elsewhere to play.” 

“And you have no longer a child in the 
house,” said the schoolmaster. 

The mother understood what he meant. 

“ Eyvind is not happy of late,” said she. 

“ Oh no, he who is ambitious is not happy.” 

He looked with an old man’s peace up into 
God’s silent sky. 


67 


CHAPTER VI 


Six months later, that is to say in the autumn 
(the confirmation had been put off till then) the 
candidates for confirmation sat in the servants* 
hall of the minister’s house waiting to be called 
in for examination, and amongst them Eyvind of 
Pladsen and Marit of the Hill Farms. Marit 
had just come down from the minister’s room 
where she had received a beautiful book and 
much commendation. She laughed and chatted 
with her girl-friends on all sides, and looked 
round amongst the boys. Marit was now a full- 
grown girl, light and free in all her movements, 
and the boys as well as the girls knew that the 
finest bachelor of the village, John Hatlen, was 
paying court to her ; she might well be happy 
as she sat there. By the door stood some girls 
and boys who had not passed ; they were crying 


A HAPPY BOY 


whilst Marit and her friends laughed. Amongst 
them was a little boy in his father’s boots and 
his mother’s Sunday kerchief. 

Oh God, oh God ! ” he sobbed, I daren’t 
go home again.” 

This seized those who had not yet been up, 
with the force of fellow-feeling ; there was a 
general silence. Anxiety clouded their eyes and 
gripped them by the throat ; they could not see 
distinctly, and neither could they swallow, 
though they constantly wanted to. One sat and 
went over all he knew, and though he had 
discovered some hours before that he knew 
everything, he now found out with equal cer- 
tainty that he knew nothing — could not even 
read. A second went over his whole list of 
sins, from as far back as he could remember, till 
now, and came to the conclusion that it would 
not be in the least wonderful if Our Lord did not 
let him pass. A third sat and watched every- 
thing in the room : if the clock, which was on 
the point of striking, did not begin until he had 
counted twenty, he would pass ; if the person 
69 


A HAPPY BOY 


he heard coming into the passage was the stable- 
boy, Lars, he would pass ; if the big raindrop 
that was creeping down the window came right 
to the frame, he would pass. The last and 
decisive proof was to be whether he could get 
his right foot twisted round his left, and this he 
found quite impossible. A fourth was sure that 
if he was questioned on Joseph in history and 
on baptism in doctrine, or on Saul, or on the 
Decalogue, or on Jesus or — he was still going 
over it all when his turn came. A fifth had set 
his heart on the Sermon on the Mount; he had 
dreamt of the sermon, he was sure he would be 
questioned on the sermon ; he went over the 
sermon to himself, he had to slip out to read the 
sermon over again — then his turn came, and he 
was examined on the major and minor prophets. 
A sixth thought of the minister, what a kind 
man he was, and how well he knew his father 
and mother ; and of the schoolmaster, who had 
such a gentle face ; and of God, who was so 
very gracious and had helped many before, both 
Jacob and Joseph ; and then he thought how his 
70 


A HAPPY BOY 


mother and sisters were at home praying for 
him, and that was sure to help. The seventh 
sat and knocked down all the castles in the air 
he had built. First he had determined to be- 
come a king, then a general or a minister — that 
stage had long been past : but until he had 
entered this room he had still thought of going 
to sea and becoming a captain, perhaps a pirate, 
and amassing enormous wealth : then he gave 
up the idea of riches, then the idea of becoming 
a pirate, then of becoming a captain, then of 
becoming a mate ; he stopped at common sailor 
or at highest boatswain — it was even possible 
that he would not go to sea at all, but set to 
work on his father’s farm. The eighth was a 
little more confident, yet not quite sure of pass- 
ing ; for not even the cleverest could be quite 
sure. He thought of the clothes he had got to 
be confirmed in, and what they would be used 
for if he didn’t pass. But if he passed he was 
to go to town and get splendid Sunday clothes, 
and come home again and dance at Christmas, to 
the envy of all the boys and the admiration of 
71 


A HAPPY BOY 


all the girls. The ninth reckoned otherwise ; 
he opened a little account with God in which he 
placed upon the one side as Debit : * He will 
allow me to pass/ and on the other side as 
Credit ; ‘ I will never tell any more lies, nor 
gossip, will always go to church, let the girls 
alone, and break myself of swearing.’ But the 
tenth thought that as Ole Hansen had passed 
last year, it would be worse than injustice if he 
did not pass this year, for he had always been 
above him at school, and besides, his parents 
were more respectable. At his side sat the 
eleventh, nursing the most bloodthirsty plans for 
revenge in case he did not pass — he was going 
either to set fire to the school, or leave the 
neighbourhood and come back as a fulminating 
judge to call the minister and the whole school- 
commission to account, and then magnanimously 
let mercy stand for justice. As a beginning he 
would go into service with the minister of the 
next parish, and there be first in the examination 
next year, and answer so that the whole church 
should wonder and admire. But the twelfth sat 


72 


A HAPPY BOY 


by himself underneath the clock, with both 
hands in his pockets, and looked sorrowfully at 
the rest. No one knew what a burden he bore 
and what anxiety was racking him. But at 
home there was one who knew it — for he was 
betrothed. A big, long-legged spider crept over 
the floor and came near his foot : he used always 
to tread upon the ugly insects, but to-day he 
lifted his foot tenderly and let it pass in peace. 
His voice was as mild as a collect ; his eyes 
kept on repeating that all men were good ; his 
hand moved humbly from his pocket to his hair, 
in order to smooth it down. If he could only 
wriggle by hook or by crook through this terrible 
needle’s eye, he would soon swell out again on 
the other side, chew tobacco and make his en- 
gagement public. On a low stool, with his legs 
bent underneath him, sat the restless thirteenth ; 
his small sparkling eyes made the round of the 
room three times in a second : and inside the 
strong, rough head the thoughts of all the other 
twelve were tossing about in wild confusion, from 
the brightest hope to the darkest despair, from 
73 


K 


A HAPPY BOY 


the humblest resolves to the most annihilating 
plans of vengeance; and meanwhile he had eaten 
up all the loose skin from his right thumb and 
was now busy with his nails, of which he 
scattered great fragments on the floor. 

Eyvind sat over by the window ; he had 
been up and answered everything he was asked, 
but the minister had said nothing nor the 
schoolmaster either. He had been thinking for 
more than six months what both would say 
when they came to know how he had worked, 
and he now felt disappointed, and hurt withal. 
There sat Marit who, for far less labour and 
knowledge, had received both encouragement and 
reward. It was precisely for the sake of shining 
in her eyes that he had toiled, and now she 
laughingly enjoyed all that he had worked for 
with so much self-renunciation. Her laughter 
and joking burnt into his soul, the freedom with 
which she carried herself hurt him. He had 
sedulously avoided speaking to her since that 
evening ; “ I won’t for years yet,” he thought ; 
but the sight of her sitting there, so gay and 
74 


A HAPPY BOY 


at her ease, crushed him to the earth, and all 
his proud projects drooped like leaves in the 
rain. 

Little by little, however, he tried to shake off 
the depression. The thing was to know whether 
he was Number One to-day, and for this he 
waited. The schoolmaster generally remained a 
little while in the minister’s room to arrange the 
young folks in order, and then came down to 
announce the result ; not the final order, indeed, 
but that which the minister and himself had 
provisionally agreed upon. Conversation in the 
room became livelier by degrees, as more and 
more were examined and passed. But now it 
became easy to distinguish the ambitious from 
the contented ones ; the latter, so soon as the}^ 
could get company on the way, went off to tell 
their parents of their good luck, or else waited 
for others who had not yet been examined ; the 
former, on the contrary, became quieter and 
quieter, straining their eyes towards the door. 

At length all had been examined, the last had 
come down, and the schoolmaster was now con- 
75 


A HAPPY BOY 


suiting with the minister. Eyvind looked at 
Marit ; she seemed quite indifferent, but remained 
sitting, whether on her own or on some one else's 
account, he did not know. How lovely Marit 
had grown ! He had never seen such a dazzingly 
soft complexion ; her nose turned up a little, 
her mouth was smiling. Her eyes were half- 
closed when she did not just happen to be 
looking at you, but that gave her glance an 
unexpected brilliance when it came — and, as if 
to explain that she meant nothing by it, she 
would half smile at the same time. Her hair 
was rather dark than fair, but it curled in little 
ringlets and came far forward at the sides — so 
that together with her half-closed eyes it gave 
her face an effect of mystery which it seemed 
one could never quite fathom. It was impossible 
to tell exactly at whom she was looking when 
she sat by herself or among others, or what she 
was really thinking of when she turned and 
talked to any one — for she seemed immediately 
to take back what she gave. 

** No doubt John Hatlen is lurking under all 
76 


A HAPPY BOY 


this/’ thought Eyvind ; but still he kepi on 
looking at her. 

Now the schoolmaster came. They all started 
from their seats and crowded round him. 

** What’s my number ? ” 

“ And mine ? ” 

“ And mine, mine ? ” 

Hush you overgrown children, no noise 
here ; be quiet boys, and you shall hear.” 

He looked slowly round. 

You are Number Two,” said he to a boy 
with blue eyes who was looking beseechingly at 
him, and the boy danced out of the ring. 

“ You are Number Three,” and he gave a 
little slap to a red-haired, active little fellow who 
stood pulling his coat. 

You are Number Five, you Number Eight,” 
and so on. He caught sight of Mark. 

** You are Number One of the girls.” She 
flushed crimson all over her face and neck, but 
tried to smile. 

** You, Number Twelve, have been lazy, you 
rascal, and a great vagabond; you Number 
77 


A HAPPY BOY 


Eleven couldrr^t expect anything better, my boy ; 
you, Number Thirteen, must study hard and come 
to the repetition class, else you’ll come off badly.” 

Eyvind could bear it no longer ; it was true 
Number One had not been mentioned, but he 
was standing the whole time where the school- 
master could see him. 

Master ! ” — he did not hear. Master I ” 
He had to repeat it three times before he was 
heard. At last the schoolmaster looked at him. 

^‘Number Nine or Ten, I don’t exactly re- 
member which,” said he, and turned to the 
others. 

*^Who is Number One then?” asked Hans, 
who was Eyvind’s great friend. 

** Not you, curly pate I ” said the schoolmaster, 
hitting him over the knuckles with a roll of 
paper. 

Who is it then? ” asked several. Who is 
it — yes, who is it ? ” 

‘^The one who has the number will be told of 
it,” answered the schoolmaster, severely ; he 
would have no more questions. 

78 


A HAPPY BOY 


“ Go home nicely now, children, thank your 
God and gladden your parents ! Thank your 
old schoolmaster too ; you would have been 
badly enough off without him ! ” 

They thanked him and laughed, they dis- 
persed rejoicing, for at this moment when they 
were to go home to their parents they were all 
happy. But one there was who could not 
immediately find his books and who, when he 
did find them, sat down as if to con them all 
over again. 

The schoolmaster went up to him. 

** Well, Eyvind, aren’t you going with the 
others ? ” 

He did not answer. 

** What are you looking up in your books ? ” 

1 want to see what I have answered wrong 
to-day.” 

** I don’t think you answered anything 
wTong.” 

Then Eyvind looked at him, the tears in 
his eyes ; he looked fixedly at him whilst 
one tear after another ran down, but he said 
79 


A HAPPY BOY 


not a word. The schoolmaster sat down in 
front of him. 

** Are you not glad now that you’ve passed ? ” 

His mouth quivered but he did not answer. 

“ Your father and mother will be very much 
pleased,” said the schoolmaster looking at 
him. 

Eyvind struggled a long time to get a word 
out, at last he asked him, speaking low and in 
broken phrases : 

** Is it — because I — am a cottar’s son — that I 
am Number Nine or Ten ? ” 

No doubt it is,” answered the schoolmaster. 

** Then it’s no good for me to work,” said he 
in a dead voice, crushed under the wreck of his 
dreams. Suddenly he raised his head, lifted 
his right hand, struck the table with all his 
might, flung himself on his face and burst into 
an agony of weeping. 

The schoolmaster let him lie and have his cry 
right out. It lasted a long time, but the school- 
master waited until the weeping became more 
like that of a child. Then he took the boy’s 

8o 


A HAPPY BOY 


head between his hands, lifted it up and looked 
into the tear-stained face. 

** Do you think it is God who has been with 
you now ? ” said he, putting his arm tenderly 
round his shoulders. 

Eyvind was still sobbing, but not so violently ; 
the tears flowed more slowly, but he did not dare 
to look at his questioner, nor yet to answer. 

** This, Eyvind, has been your just reward. 
You have not studied for the love of heaven and 
your parents ; you have studied for vanity’s 
sake.” 

It was all silent in the room in the intervals 
of the schoolmaster’s speaking. Eyvind felt 
his gaze resting on him and he was melted and 
humbled by it. 

‘‘With such anger in your heart you could 
not have presented yourself to make a covenant 
with your God ; could you, Eyvind ? ” 

“ No,” he stammered as well as he could. 

“ And if you stood there in vainglorious joy 
because you were Number One, would you not be 
bringing sin to the altar ? ” 

8i 


L 


A HAPPY BOY 


Yes/’ whispered he, with trembling lips. 

** You still love me, Eyvind ? ” 

“ Yes ; ” and he looked up for the first time. 

** Then I will tell you that it was I who got 
you placed lower ; for I love you so much, 
Eyvind ! ” 

The other looked at him, blinked several 
times, and the tears rained dowm thickly. 

** You don’t bear me a grudge for it ? ” 

*^No.” He looked up fully and clearly al- 
though he was nearly choked. 

My dear child ! I will take care of you as 
long as I live.” 

The schoolmaster waited for him until he had 
pulled himself together and arranged his books, 
and then said he would go home with him. 
They walked slowly homewards ; at first Eyvind 
was still silent and struggling with himself, but 
gradually he got into a better frame of mind. 
He felt quite sure that what had happened was 
for the best, and before they reached home his 
conviction had become so strong that he thanked 
God and told the schoolmaster. 


82 


A HAPPY BOY 


^‘Ah, now we can think about doing some- 
thing in life/' said the schoolmaster, “ and not 
run after nothings and numbers. What do you 
say to the seminary ? ” 

** Yes, I should like to go there." 

You mean the Agricultural College ? " 
^^Yes." 

That’s certainly the best ; it offers better 
prospects than schoolmastering.” 

** But how shall I get there ? I want so much 
to go, but I’ve no money." 

** Be industrious and good and we shall find 
means." 

Eyvind was quite overcome with gratitude. 
He had that sparkle of the eye, that lightness of 
breath, that infinite fire of love which comes over 
one when one feels the unexpected goodness of a 
human creature. The whole future presents 
itself for a moment like wandering in the fresh 
mountain air ; one seems to be wafted forward 
without effort. 

When they got home, both parents were in the 
room where they had been sitting in silent ex- 
83 


A HAPPY BOY 


pectation, although it was working-time and they 
were busy. The schoolmaster went in first, 
Eyvind followed ; both were smiling. 

** Well?” said the father, laying down a hymn- 
book in which he had just been reading 
Communicant’s Prayer.” The mother stood by 
the fireplace and dared not speak : she laughed 
but her hands were unsteady ; she evidently 
expected good news, but would not betray her- 
self. 

thought I’d just come with him, for I knew 
how glad you would be to hear that he answered 
every question, and that the minister said when 
Eyvind had gone that he has never had a better- 
prepared candidate.” 

“ Oh, did he really ! ” said his mother, much 
moved. 

** That was good,” said his father, clearing his 
throat undecidedly. 

After a long silence the mother asked softly : 

What Number will he get ? ” 

** Number Nine or Ten,” said the schoolmaster, 
calmly. 


84 


A HAPPY BOY 


The mother looked at the father, and he looked 
first at her and then at Eyvind. 

cottar’s son can expect no more,” said he. 

Eyvind looked back at him; he felt as if the 
tears would rise to his throat again, but he con- 
trolled himself by hastily calling to mind things 
dear to him, one after another, until the impulse 
subsided. 

** I had better go now,” said the schoolmaster, 
nodding and turning away. Both parents went 
out with him as usual to the doorstep ; here 
the schoolmaster cut a quid of tobacco and said 
smiling : 

He will be Number One all the same ; but 
had better not hear of it until the day comes.” 

No, no,” said his father, nodding. 

No, no,” said his mother, nodding too ; then 
she took the schoolmaster’s hand : You must 
let us thank you for all you have done for him,” 
said she. 

‘^Yes, we thank you,” said the father, and the 
schoolmaster went away ; but they stood a long 
time looking after him. 


85 


CHAPTER VII 


The schoolmaster had gone on the right 
track when he advised the minister to put 
Eyvind’s fitness to the test. During the three 
weeks which elapsed before the confirmation he 
was with the boy every day. It is one thing for 
a young and tender soul to receive an impression, 
and another thing to retain it steadfastly. Many 
dark hours fell upon the boy before he learnt to 
take the measure of his future by better standards 
than those of vanity and display. Every now and 
then, in the very midst of his work, his pleasure 
in it would slip away from him. ‘ To what end?’ 
he would think, ‘what shall I gain?’ and then a 
moment afterwards he would remember the school- 
master’s words and his kindness ; but he needed 
this human stand-by to help him up again every 
time he fell away from the sense of his higher duty. 


A HAPPY BOY 


During those days preparations were going on 
at Pladsen not only for the confirmation, but also 
for Eyvind’s departure to the Agricultural College, 
which was to take place the day after. The 
tailor and shoemaker were in the house, his 
mother was baking in the kitchen, his father was 
making a chest for him. There was a great deal 
of talk about how much he would cost them in 
two years ; about his not being able to come 
home the first Christmas, perhaps not even the 
second ; about the love he must feel for his parents 
who were willing to make such an effort for their 
child’s sake. Eyvind sat there like one who had 
put out to sea on his own account but had cap- 
sized and was now taken up by kindly people. 

Such a feeling conduces to humility, and with 
that comes much besides. As the great day 
drew near, he ventured to call himself prepared 
and to look forward with trustful devotion. 
Every time the image of Marit tried to mingle in 
his thoughts he put it resolutely aside, but felt 
pain in doing so. He tried to practise doing 
this, but never grew stronger ; on the contrary, 
87 


A HAPPY BOY 


it was the pain that grew. He was tired, there- 
fore, the last evening when, after a long self- 
examination, he prayed that our Lord might not 
put him to this test. 

The schoolmaster came in as the evening wore 
on. They gathered in the sitting-room after 
they had all washed and tidied themselves, 
according to custom the evening before one is to 
go to communion. The mother was agitated, 
the father silent ; parting lay beyond to-morrow’s 
ceremony, and it was uncertain when they would 
all sit together again. The schoolmaster took 
out the psalm-books, they had prayers and sang^ 
and afterwards he said a little prayer just as the 
words occurred to him. 

These four persons sat together until the 
evening grew very late and thought turned in- 
wards upon itself; then they parted with the 
best wishes for the coming day and the compact 
it was to seal. Eyvind had to own as he lay 
down that never had he gone to bed so happy ; 
and by that, as he now interpreted it, he meant : 

Never have I lain down so submissive to God’s 
88 


A HAPPY BOY 


will and so happy in it.” Mark’s face at once 
came to haunt him again ; and the last thing he 
was conscious of was lying there saying to him- 
self : Not quite happy, not quite,” and then 
answering : ** Yes I am, quite,” and then again : 
“ Not quite.” — Yes, quite.” — No, not quite.” 

When he awoke, he immediately remembered 
the day, said his prayers and felt himself strong, 
as one does in the morning. 

Since the summer, he had slept by himself in 
the loft ; he now got up and put on his hand- 
some new clothes carefully, for he had never 
had the like before. There was, in particular, 
a short jacket which he had to touch a great 
many times before he got used to it. He got a 
little mirror when he had put on his collar, and 
for the fourth time put on his coat. As he now 
saw his own delighted face, set in extraordinarily 
fair hair, smiling out at him from the glass, it 
struck him that this, again, was doubtless vanity. 

Well, but people must be well-dressed and 
clean,” answered he, while he drew back from the 
mirror as though it were a sin to look in it. 

89 M 


A HAPPY BOY 


Certainly, but not quite so happy about it/* 
** No, but our Lord must surely be pleased that 
one should like to look nice.” ** That may be, 
but He would like it better if you did so without 
being so much taken up about it.” That’s 
true, but you see it’s because everything is so 
new.” “ Yes, but then by degrees you must 
leave it off.” He found himself carrying on 
such self-examining dialogues in his own mind, 
now on one subject, now on another, in order 
that no sin should fall upon the day and stain it, 
but he knew, too, that more than that was 
needed. 

When he came down, his parents were sitting 
full-dressed, waiting breakfast for him. He 
went and shook hands with them and thanked 
them for the clothes. 

*^May you have health to wear them.”* 

They seated themselves at table, said a silent 
grace, and ate. The mother cleared the table 
and brought in the provision-box in preparation 
for church. The father put on his coat, the 

* A customary phrase. 

90 


A HAPPY BOY 


mother pinned her kerchief, they took their 
hymn-books, locked up the house and set off. 
When they got upon the upper road they found 
it thronged with church-going folk, driving and 
walking, with confirmation-candidates amongst 
them, and in more than one group white-haired 
grandparents, determined to make this one last 
appearance. 

It was an autumn day without sunshine — 
such as portends a change of weather. Clouds 
gathered and parted again, sometimes a great 
assemblage would break up into twenty smaller 
ones which rushed away bearing orders for a 
storm ; but down on the earth it was as yet 
still, the leaves hung lifeless, not even quivering, 
the air was rather close ; the people carried 
cloaks but did not use them. An unusually 
large crowd had assembled round the high- 
lying church, but the young people who were to 
be confirmed went straight in to be settled in 
their places before service began. Then it was 
that the schoolmaster, in blue clothes, tail-coat 
and knee-breeches, high boots, stiff collar, and 


91 


A HAPPY BOY 


his pipe sticking out of his tail-pocket, came 
down the church, nodded and smiled, slapped 
one on the shoulder, spoke a few words to 
another, reminding him to answer loud and 
clear, and so made his way over to the poor- 
box, where Eyvind stood answering all his 
friend Hans’s questions with reference to his 
journey. 

Good morning, Eyvind ; how fine we are 
to-day,” — he took him by the coat-collar as if he 
wanted to speak to him. ** Listen ; I think all’s 
well with you. I’ve just been speaking to the 
minister : you are to take your place, go up to 
Number One, and answer distinctly ! ” 

Eyvind looked up at him astonished ; the 
schoolmaster nodded, the boy moved a few 
steps, stopped, a few more steps and stopped 
again. ** Yes, it’s really so, he has spoken for 
me to the minister ; ” and the boy went up 
quickly. 

You’re Number One after all, then ? ” some- 
one whispered to him. 

** Yes,” answered Eyvind, softly, but he still 
92 


A HAPPY BOY 


was not quite sure whether he dared take his 
place. 

The marshalling was completed, the minister 
arrived, the bell rang, and the people came 
streaming in. Then Eyvind saw Marit of the 
Hill Farms standing just opposite him. She 
looked at him, too, but both were so impressed 
by the sacredness of the place that they dared 
not greet each other. He saw only that she 
was dazzlingly beautiful and was bareheaded ; 
more than that he did not see. Eyvind who, 
for more than six months, had been nursing 
such great designs of standing opposite her, 
now that it had come to the point forgot both 
her and the place — forgot that he had ever 
thought of them. 

When it was all over, kinsfolk and friends 
came to offer their congratulations ; then his 
comrades came to bid him good-by, as they had 
heard that he was to go away next day ; and 
then came a lot of little ones with whom he had 
sledged on the hills and whom he had helped at 
school, and some even shed a tear or two at 
93 


A HAPPY BOY 


leave-taking. Last came the schoolmaster and 
shook hands silently with him and his parents 
and made a sign to go, — he would come with 
them. They four were together again, and this 
evening was to be the last. On the way there 
were many more who bade him good-bye and 
wished him luck, but they did not speak amongst 
themselves until they were sitting indoors at 
home. 

The schoolmaster tried to keep up their 
courage ; it was evident that now it had come 
to the point, they were all three dreading the 
long two years separation, seeing that hitherto 
they had not been parted for a single day ; 
but none of them would own it. As the 
hours went on, the more heart-sick did Eyvind 
become ; he had to go out at last to calm 
himself a little. 

It was dusk now and there was a strange 
soughing in the wind; he stood on the door- 
step and looked up. Then, from the edge 
of the rock he heard his own name softly 
called ; it was no delusion, for it was twice re- 


94 


A HAPPY BOY 


peated. He looked up and made out that a 
girl was sitting crouched amongst the trees and 
looking down. 

“ Who’s that ? ” he asked. 

** I hear you are going away,” said she, softly, 
“ so I had to come to you and say good-bye, as 
you would not come to me.’^ 

Why, is that you, Marit ? I will come up to 
you.” 

“ No don’t do that, I have waited such a long 
time and that would make me have to wait still 
longer. Nobody knows where I am, and I must 
hurry home again.” 

It was kind of you to come,” said he. 

** I couldn’t bear that you should go away 
like that, Eyvind ; we have known each other 
since we were children.” 

** Yes, we have.” 

^*And now we haven’t spoken to each other 
for six months.” 

No, we haven’t.” 

And we parted so strangely the last 
time.” 


95 


A HAPPY BOY 


Yes — I must really come up to you.” 

^^No, no, don’t do that ! But tell me ; you’re 
not angry with me, are you ? ” 

How can you think so, dear ? ” 

** Good-bye then, Eyvind, and thank you for 
all our life together I ” 

No, Marit ! ” 

Yes, I must go now, they will miss me.” 

** Marit, Marit ! ” 

** No, I daren’t stop away any longer, Eyvind; 
good-bye ! ” 

Good-bye I ” 

After that he moved as if in a dream, and 
answered at random when they spoke to him. 
They put it down to his going away and thought 
it only natural ; and indeed that was what was 
in his mind when the schoolmaster took leave 
at night, and put something into his hand 
which he afterwards found to be a five-dollar 
note. 

But later on, when he went to bed, it was not 
of his going away he was thinking, but of the 
words which had come down from the edge of 
96 


A HAPPY BOY 


the rock and of those which had gone up again. 
As a child she had not been allowed to come to 
the edge because her grandfather was afraid she 
might fall over. Perhaps she would one day 
come over all the same ! 


97 


N 


CHAPTER VIII 


My dear Parents, 

We have got a great deal more work to do 
now, but now I have nearly made up to the 
others so that it is not so hard upon me. And 
there is much that I shall alter on the farm when 
I come home, for things are very bad there, and 
the only wonder is that it has held together at 
all. But I shall get it all into shape again, for I 
have now learned a great deal. I am longing to 
get to some place where I can put in practice 
what I know, so I must seek a good position 
when my course is finished. Here they all say 
that John Hatlen is not so clever as they think 
at home ; but he has a farm of his own, and it’s 
his own affair whether he knows much or little. 
Many who have gone through our course earn 
large salaries ; that is because ours is the best 
98 


A HAPPY BOY 


agricultural college in the country. Some say 
that one in the next county is better, but that is 
not at all true. Here they teach us two things: 
the first is called theory, and the second practice, 
and it is good to have them both, and the one is 
no good without the other, but still the last is 
the best. And the first word means to know 
the cause and reason for a piece of work, but 
the other means to be able to do the work, for 
instance as it might be with a bog. Many know 
what ought to be done with a bog, but do it 
wrongly all the same, for they haven't the power. 
Many have the power and don’t know the 
reasons for things, and they may go wrong too, 
for there are many kinds of bogs. But we at 
the Agricultural College learn both things. The 
principal is so clever that no one can come near 
him. At the last Agricultural Congress he 
managed two questions whilst the other masters 
of agriculture had only one each ; and when they 
took time to think things out, they were always 
as he said. But at the former Congress, when 
he was not present, they only talked nonsense. 


L.ofC. 


99 


A HAPPY BOY 


It is on account of the principal’s cleverness that 
he has got the lieutenant who teaches land- 
surveying ; for the other schools have no lieu- 
tenants But he is so clever that they say he was 
the very best in the school for lieutenants. 

“ The schoolmaster asks whether I go to church. 
YeS; certainly I go to church, for now the 
minister has got an assistant, and he preaches so 
that all the people in church are frightened, and 
that is a pleasure to hear. He is of the new 
religion that they have in Christiania, and people 
think he is too severe, but it does them good all 
the same. 

^‘At present we are learning a good deal of 
history which we have not studied before, and it 
is strange to see all that has gone on in the 
world, and especially in our country. For we 
have always won except when we have lost, and 
that was when we were much fewer than the 
other people. Now we have freedom, and no 
other people have so much of that as we, except 
America ; but there they are not happy. And 
we should love our freedom above everything. 


100 


A HAPPY BOY 


“Now 1 will close for this time, for I have 
written a long letter. I daresay the school- 
master will read the letter, and when he answers 
it for you, let him tell me some news of the 
neighbours, for that he never does. 

“ Accept best greetings from 

“ Your affectionate son, 

“E. Thoresen." 


“ My dear Parents, 

“ I must tell you that there has been an 
examination here, and I have come out remark- 
ably well in many things, and very well in writing 
and surveying, but only pretty well in composi- 
tion in the mother tongue. The principal says 
that is because I have not read enough, and he 
has presented me with some books by Ole Vig 
which are splendid, for I understand everything 
in them. The principal is very kind to me, he 
tells us so many things. Everything in this 
country is on a very small scale compared with 
what they have in foreign countries ; we under- 
stand almost nothing, but learn everything from 


lOI 


A HAPPY BOY 


the Scotch and Swiss, and from the Dutch we 
learn gardening. Many travel to these countries ; 
in Sweden, too, they are much cleverer than we, 
and the principal himself has been there. I 
shall soon have been here a year, and it seems to 
me that I have learned a great deal ; but when 
I hear of all that the pupils know who go out 
after examination, and think that even they 
know nothing in comparison with foreigners, I 
get quite discouraged. And then the soil is so 
poor here in Norway compared with what it is 
abroad ; nothing we can do with it pays. 
Besides, people have no energy. And even if 
they had, and if the land were much better, they 
have no capital to work with. It is wonderful 
that things go as well as they do. 

I am now in the highest class, and it will be 
a year before I have done with it. But most of 
my comrades have gone, and I am longing for 
home. I seem somehow to stand alone, although 
of course I do not really ; but it is so strange 
when one has been away a long time. I 
thought at one time that I should become so 


102 


A HAPPY BOY 


clever here, but there seems little enough 
chance of that. 

What shall I do when I come away from 
here ? First, of course, I shall come home. 
Afterwards I suppose I must look out for some- 
thing to do, but it must not be far away. 

“ Good-bye, dear parents. Greet those who 
ask after me, and tell them that I am well, but 
that I am longing to be home again. 

Your affectionate son, 

Eyvind Thoresen Pladsen." 

Dear Schoolmaster, 

This is to ask you whether you will for- 
ward the enclosed letter and say nothing about it 
to anybody. And if you will not, then you must 
burn it. 

Eyvind Thoresen Pladsen.” 

^^To THE highly-honoured Marit Knut’s- 
DAUGHTER NoRDISTUEN, AT THE UpPER 

Hill Farms. 

You will be much surprised to receive a 


103 


A HAPPY BOY 


letter from me, but you need not be, for I only 
want to ask how you are getting on in every 
respect. You must let me know as soon as 
possible. As for myself, I have to tell you that 
I shall have finished my course here in a year. 

^^Most respectfully, 

Eyvind Pladsen.” 

“To Bachelor Eyvind Pladsen, at the 
Agricultural College. 

“ I have duly received your letter from the 
schoolmaster, and I will answer since you ask me 
to. But I am afraid, because you are so learned, 
and I have a letter-writer, but there is nothing in 
it that will do. So I must try, and you must 
take the will for the deed, but you mustn't show 
it, or you are not the person I take you for. 
And you are not to keep it either, for then it 
might easily fall into some one’s hands, but you 
are to burn it, you must promise me that. 
There are such a lot of things I should like to 
write about, but I don’t think I dare. We have 
had a good harvest, potatoes are a high price, 

104 


A HAPPY BOY 


and we have plenty of them here at the Hill 
Farms. But the bear has been terrible amongst 
the cattle this summer ; at Ole Nedregaard’s he 
killed two head, and at our cottar’s he knocked 
one about so that it had to be killed. I am 
weaving a large web of cloth ; it is like that 
Scotch stuff, and it is difficult. And now I will 
tell you that I am still at home, and that others 
would fain have it otherv/ise. Now I have no 
more to write about this time and so good-bye. 

^^Marit Knut’s-daughter. 

** P.S. — Be sure you burn this letter.” 

“To Agricultural-Student Eyvind Pladsen. 

“ I have told you, Eyvind, that whoso 
walks with God, he has a portion in the good 
heritage. But now you shall hear my counsel, 
and that is : not to take the world with yearning 
and tribulation, but to trust to God and never 
let your heart consume you, for then you have 
another God besides Him. Next, I must tell 
you that your father and mother are well, but 
I have a bad hip ; for now the war makes itself 
105 o 


A HAPPY BOY 


felt agaiii; and all that one has been through. 
What youth sows age reaps, and that both in 
soul and body ; which latter now smarts and 
aches, and tempts one to continual complaining. 
But age must not complain, for wounds instruct 
us and aches preach patience, so that a man 
may have strength for the last journey. To-day 
I have taken up my pen for many reasons, and 
first and foremost on Marit’s account, who has 
become a God-fearing girl, but is as light-footed 
as a reindeer and unsettled in her purposes. 
She would like to hold to one, but her nature 
will not let her. But I have often seen that 
with such weak hearts our Lord is lenient and 
long-suffering, and never lets them be tempted 
beyond their strength, so that they are broken 
in pieces ; for they are very fragile. I duly 
gave her the letter, and she hid it from all save 
her own heart. And if God gives this matter 
His countenance, I have nothing against it ; for 
she is a delight to the eye of youth, as can 
plainly be seen, and she has plenty of earthly 
goods, and heavenly goods as well, for all her 

io6 


A HAPPY BOY 


instability. For the fear of God in her mind is 
like water in a shallow pond : it is there when 
it rains, but when the sun shines it is gone. 

My eyes will bear no more now ; they see 
well enough out in the open, but ache and water 
over small things. In conclusion, I would say to 
you, Eyvind, in all your aspirations and labours 
take your God with you ; for it is written, Better 
is an handful with quietness than both the hands 
full with travail and vexation of spirit. 

Your old schoolmaster, 

Baard Andersen Opdal.” 

To THE Highly-Honoured Marit Knut’s- 
DAUGHTER, OF THE HiLL FaRMS. 

'‘Thank you for your letter, which I have 
read and burnt as you told me. You write 
about many things, but not a word of what I 
wanted you to write about. I dare not write 
about anything certain either, until I get to 
know something of how it is with you in every 
way. The schoolmaster’s letter says nothing 
that you can take hold of; but he praises you, 
107 


A HAPPY BOY 


and then he says that you are unstable. You 
were that before. Now I don’t know what I 
am to believe, and therefore you must write, 
for I shall not be happy until you write. At 
present what I most like to remember is that 
you came on the rock that last evening, and 
what you then said to me. I will say no more 
this time, and so good-bye. 

**Most respectfully, 

Eyvind Pladsen.” 

To Bachelor Eyvind Thoresen Pladsen. 

The schoolmaster has given me another 
letter from you, and I have now read it. But 
I don’t understand it at all ; I suppose that is 
because I am not learned. You want to know 
how I am in every way ; and I am quite well 
and strong, and have nothing whatever the 
matter with me. I eat well, especially when I 
get milk-food, and I sleep at night, and some- 
times in the day, too. I have danced a great 
deal this winter, for there have been lots of 
parties and great goings-on. I go to church 
loS 


A HAPPY BOY 


when there is not too much snow, but it has 
been deep this winter. Now I hope you know 
everything, and if you don’t, then I know nothing 
for it but that you must write to me again. 

Marit Knut’s-daughter.” 

** To THE Highly-Honoured Marit Knut’s- 

DAUGHTER. 

** I have received your letter, but you seem 
to want me to be just as wise as I was before. 
1 dare not write anything of what I want to write 
about, for I do not know you. But perhaps you 
don’t know me, either. 

** You must not believe that I am any longer 
the soft cheese out of which you pressed water 
when I sat and watched you dance. I have 
lain upon many a shelf to dry since that time. 
Nor yet am I like those long-haired dogs that 
for the slightest thing let their ears droop, and 
slip away from people, as I used to do ; I take 
my chance now. 

“ Your letter was playful enough ; but it was 
playful just where it ought not to have been; for 
109 


A HAPPY BOY 


you understand me well ; and you could guess 
that I did not ask for fun, but because of late I 
can think of nothing but what I asked about. I 
waited in deep anxiety, and then came nothing 
but trifling and laughter. 

Good-bye Marit Nordistuen ; I shall not 
look too much at you, as I did at that dance. I 
hope you may both eat and sleep well, and 
finish your new web of cloth, and especially that 
you may shovel away the snow that lies before 
the church door. 

“ Most respectfully, 

Eyvind Thoresen Pladsen.” 

To Eyvind Thoresen, Student of Agricul- 
ture, Agricultural College. 

In spite of my old age, and weak eyes, and 
the pain in my right hip, I must yield to the 
urgency of youth ; for it finds a use for us old 
folks when it has stuck fast. It coaxes and 
weeps until it has its way, and then it is off 
again directly, and will not listen to another 
word. 


no 


A HAPPY BOY 


Now it is Marit. She comes with many 
sweet words to get me to write as follows, for 
she dares not write alone. I have read your 
letter ; she thought she had John Hatlen or 
some other fool to deal with, and not one whom 
schoolmaster Baard had brought up, but now 
she finds she’s mistaken. Yet you have been 
too hard upon her, for there are some girls who 
joke in order not to cry, and both mean the same 
thing. But I like to see you take serious things 
seriously, else you cannot laugh at nonsense. 

As to the fact of your caring for each other, 
that is plain enough from many things. As to 
her, I have often had my doubts, for she is as 
hard to grasp as the wind ; but now I know that 
she has stood out against John Hatlen, and has 
thereby made her grandfather very angry. She 
was happy when your offer came, and when she 
joked it was not with any evil intention, but from 
joy. She has borne much, and she has done so 
in order to wait for him upon whom her heart 
is set. And now you will not take her, but 
throw her aside as a naughty child. 


A HAPPY BOY 


** This was what I had to tell you. And I 
will add this advice, that you should come to an 
understanding with her, for you will probably 
have plenty to contend with in any case. I am 
an old man who has seen three generations ; I 
know folly and its courses. 

** I am to greet you from your father and 
mother, they are longing for you. But I would 
not mention this before for fear of making you 
unhappy. You do not know your father ; for 
he is like the tree that gives no sigh before it is 
hewn down. But if you once get a little nearer 
him, then you will learn to know him, and you 
will marvel as in a rich place. He has been 
oppressed and silent in worldly matters, but your 
mother has eased his mind from worldly anxiety, 
and now it grows clearer towards the evening of 
his day. 

“ My eyes are getting dim now, and my hand 
is weary. Therefore I commit you to Him 
whose eye ever watches, and whose hand never 
tires. 

'' Baard Andersen Opdal.” 


II2 


A HAPPY BOY 


“To Eyvind Pladsen. 

“You seem to be angry with me, and that 
hurts me very much. For I didn’t mean it like 
that, I meant it well. I remember that I have 
often treated you ill, and therefore I will now 
write to you, but you must not show it to any- 
body. At one time I had everything my own 
way, and then I was not good ; but now nobody 
cares for me any more, and now I am unhappy. 
John Hatlen has made up a song in mockery of 
me, and all the boys sing it, and 1 dare not go 
to any dances. Both the old people know about 
it, and they scold me. But I am sitting alone, 
and writing, and you mustn’t show it. 

“ You have learnt much, and can advise me, 
but you are now far away. I have often been 
down to your parents’ house, and I have talked 
with your mother, and we have become good 
friends ; but I did not dare to say anything 
because you wrote so strangely. The school- 
master only makes fun of me, and he knows 
nothing about the song, for no one in the parish 
would dare to sing such a thing before him. 


A HAPPY BOY 


Now I am alone, and have no one to talk with. 
I remember when we were children, and you 
were so good to me, and always used to let 
me sit in your sledge. I wish I were a child 
again. 

I dare not ask you to answer me any m.ore; 
because I dare not. But if you would answer 
me, just once more, I would never forget it, 
Eyvind. 

‘‘ Marit. 

** Dear, burn this letter ; I scarcely know 
whether I dare send it.” 

Dear Marit, 

“ Thanks for your letter ; you wrote it in a 
good hour. Now I will tell you, Marit, that I 
love you so that I can hardly stay here any 
longer, and if only you love me too, then John’s 
songs and other evil words shall be only leaves 
that the tree bears too many of. Since I got 
your letter I am like a new creature ; double 
strength has come to me, and I fear no one in 
the wide world. When I had sent my last 

114 


A HAPPY BOY 


letter, I repented it so much that it nearly made 
me ill. And now you shall hear what that led 
to. The principal took me aside and asked 
what was the matter with me ; he thought I was 
studying too much. Then he told me that, when 
my year was up, I might stay for another and 
pay nothing ; I might help him with one thing 
and another, and he would teach me more. I 
thought then that work was the only thing left 
to me and I thanked him much : and even now 
I don’t regret it although I am longing for you, 
for the longer I am here the better right shall I 
have to ask for you one day. Now that I am 
so happy I work for three, and never will I be 
behind in anything ! You shall have a book I 
am reading, for there is a great deal about love 
in it. At night I read it when the others are 
asleep, and then I read your letter over again 
too. Have you thought of when we shall 
meet ? I think of it so often, and you must try 
thinking of it too, and see how delightful it 
is. I am glad that I managed to write so 
much, although it was so hard ; for now I can 
115 


A HAPPY BOY 


tell you all I want to and smile over it in my 
heart. 

I will give you many books to read so that 
you may see how many crosses they have had 
who truly loved each other, and how they have 
rather died of grief than give each other up. 
And so shall we do also, and do it with great 
joy. It may be nearly two years before we see 
each other, and yet longer before we get each 
other, but with every day that goes it is one day 
less ; this is what we must think whilst we 
work. 

“In my next letter I will tell you so many 
things, but to-night I have no more paper and the 
others are asleep. So I will go to bed and 
think of you and go on thinking of you until I 
fall asleep. 

“ Your friend, 

“ Eyvind Pladsen.” 


Ii6 


CHAPTER IX 


One midsummer Saturday Thore Pladsen rowed 
across the lake to fetch his son, who was to arrive 
that afternoon from the Agricultural College where 
he had now completed his course. His mother had 
had women in to help her for several days before- 
hand, and everything was clean and scoured. 
Ey vind’s room had long been in readiness, a stove 
had been put in and there he was to live. To- 
day the mother had strewn fresh sprigs on the 
floor, put out clean linen for use and arranged the 
bed, looking out now and then to see if any boat 
were coming across the lake. Downstairs there 
was a great table spread, and always some finish- 
ing touch to be given, or flies to be chased 
away ; and in the best room there was always 
something that needed dusting. No boat 
yet; she leant against the window frame and 
117 


A HAPPY BOY 


looked out. Then she heard a step close beside 
her on the road and she turned her head ; it 
was the schoolmaster coming slowly down, lean- 
ing on a stick, for his hip was troublesome. His 
shrewd eyes looked calmly around ; he stopped 
and rested on his stick and nodded to her. 

“ Not come yet ? ” 

No, I expect them every minute.” 

Good weather for the hay.” 

But hot walking for old people.” 

The schoolmaster looked smilingly at her. 

Have young people been out to-day ? ” 

Yes, they have, but they've gone again.” 

“ Of course, yes ; they're to meet this evening 
somewhere I suppose.” 

Yes, no doubt ; Thore says they sha’n’t 
meet in his house until the}^ have the old 
people's consent.” 

Right, right ! ” 

Presently the mother cried : 

There they come, I really believe ! ” 

The schoolmaster looked far over the lake. 

Yes, that’s they ! ” She left the window 

ii8 


A HAPPY BOY 


and he entered the house. When he had rested 
a little and had something to drink, they went 
down to the lake whilst the boat scudded swiftly 
towards them, for both father and son were 
rowing. The rowers had thrown off their coats, 
and the water foamed under the oars so that the 
boat was quickly abreast of them. Eyvind 
turned his head and looked up, and catching 
sight of those two at the landing-place, rested 
on his oars and called out : 

“ Good - day, mother ; good - day, school- 
master.” 

What a grown-up voice he has got,” said 
the mother, her face shining. Oh, look, look, 
he's just as fair as ever ! ” she added. 

The schoolmaster fended off the boat, the 
father shipped his oars ; Eyvind sprang past him 
ashore, and gave his hand first to his mother 
and then to the schoolmaster. He laughed and 
laughed again, and, quite against the peasants’ 
custom, related at once in a stream of words 
all about his examinations, his journey, the 
principal’s certificate and kind offers. He asked 

iig 


A HAPPY BOY 


about the year’s crops, and all acquaintances, 
save one. The father set about unloading the 
boat, but, wanting to hear also, thought this could 
stand over, and went with the others. So they 
turned homewards, Eyvind laughing and pouring 
forth his news, the mother laughing too, for she 
did not know what to say. The schoolmaster 
limped slowly along beside them, and looked 
shrewdly at him ; his father walked modestly a 
little farther off. And so they reached home. 
He was delighted with all he saw ; first that 
the house had been painted, then that the mill 
had been added to, then that the leaden windows 
had been taken out of the downstairs room, 
and white glass put in instead of green, and 
the window- frames enlarged. When he went 
indoors everything was strangely smaller than 
he remembered it, but so cheerful. The clock 
clucked like a fat hen ; the cut-away chair-backs 
seemed almost as if they could speak ; he knew 
every cup upon the table ; the fireplace smiled a 
whitewashed welcome; branches were stuck all 
along the walls, and gave off fragrance ; juniper 


120 


A HAPPY BOY 


sprigs were strewn on the floor in token of 
holiday. They sat down to eat, but there was 
not much eaten, for they talked without inter- 
mission. Each one now examined him more at 
leisure, noticed differences and likenesses, and 
observed what was entirely new about him, even 
to the blue Sunday clothes he was wearing. 
Once, when he had told a long story about one 
of his fine comrades and had at last finished, 
there was a little pause, and his father said : 

“ I can scarcely understand a word of what 
you say, boy ; you talk so frightfully fast.” 

They all burst out laughing, Eyvind as much 
as any of them. He knew quite well that it was 
true, but it was impossible for him to speak more 
slowly. All the new things he had seen and 
learnt in his long absence had so seized upon his 
imagination and intelligence, and so shaken him 
out of the rut of custom, that powers which had 
long lain dormant had, so to speak, started out of 
their sleep, and his head was incessantly work- 
ing. And they noted, too, that he had a trick 
of repeating a word or two here and there 


A HAPPY BOY 


without any reason, repeating it over and over 
again from sheer hurry ; it seemed as though he 
tripped over himself. Sometimes it was comical, 
and then he laughed, and it was forgotten. The 
father and the schoolmaster sat and watched 
whether his thoughtfulness had worn away, but 
it did not appear so. He remembered every- 
thing; he it was who reminded them that the 
boat must be unloaded. He unpacked his things 
immediately and hung them up, showed them 
his books, his watch, and all his new possessions, 
and they were well taken care of, his mother 
said. He was extremely delighted with his 
little room ; he wanted to remain at home to 
begin with, he said, to help with the haymaking, 
and to study. Where he would go afterwards 
he did not know, but it was all the same to 
him. He had acquired a rapidity and strength 
of thought which was refreshing, and a vivacity 
in expressing his feelings which was so good 
to those who, the whole year round, had been 
studiously repressing theirs. It made the school- 
master ten years younger. 


122 


A HAPPY BOY 


^‘Well, we’ve got so far with him,” said he 
beaming, as he rose to go. 

When the mother came in after the usual 
parting w’ord on the doorstep, she called Eyvind 
into the best room. 

Some one will be expecting you at nine 
o’clock,” whispered she. 

“ Where ? ” 

Up on the rock.” 

Eyvind looked at the clock ; it was getting on 
for nine. He would not wait indoors, but went 
out, climbed up the rock, stopped, and looked 
down. The roof of the house lay close under- 
neath ; the bushes on the roof had grown 
larger ; all the young trees round where he 
stood had grown, too, and he knew every one. 
He looked down over the road which skirted 
the rock, with the wood on the other side. The 
road lay grey and solemn, but the wood was 
clothed in all sorts of foliage ; the trees were 
tall and straight. In the little bay lay a vessel 
with flapping sails ; she was laden with planks, 
and waiting for a wind. He looked across the 


123 


A HAPPY BOY 


water which had borne him forth and back. It 
lay still and shining. A few sea-birds were 
hovering over, but without cries, for it was late. 
His father came out of the mill, stopped at the 
doorsteps, looked out like his son, then went 
down to the water to see after the boat for the 
night. His mother came out from a side door 
leading from the kitchen. She looked up towards 
the rock as she crossed the yard with food for 
the fowls, and again looked up, humming to her- 
self. He sat down to wait. The brushwood 
grew thick so that he could not see far in, but 
he listened for the slightest sound. For a long 
time he heard nothing but birds, which flew up 
and disappeared, and now a squirrel jumping from 
one tree into another. But at last, a long way 
off, there comes a crackling sound ; it stops a 
moment, then crackles again. He rises ; his 
heart beats, and the blood rushes to his head. 
Something comes breaking through the bushes 
close at hand. But it is a large shaggy dog 
that comes and looks up at him, stands still on 
three legs, and does not move. It is the dog 

124 


A HAPPY BOY 


from Upper Hill Farm; and close behind him 
there is a crackling again. The dog turns his 
head and wags his tail. And here is Marit. 

A bush had caught her dress ; she turned to 
disengage herself, and so she stood when he 
first saw her. She was bareheaded and had her 
hair rolled up according to the every-day fashion 
of girls ; she had on a stout, checked bodice 
without sleeves, nothing on her neck but the 
turned down linen collar ; she had stolen away 
from working in the field, and had not dared to 
make herself fine. Now she looked up sideways 
and smiled ; her white teeth and half-closed eyes 
shone ; she stood thus a moment disentangling 
herself, then she came on, and got redder and 
redder at every step. He went to meet her, and 
took her hand in both his ; she looked down, 
and so they stood. 

Thanks for all your letters,” was the first 
thing he said, and when she looked up a little at 
that, and laughed, he felt that she was the most 
roguish fairy he could possibly have met in a 
wood ; but he was embarrassed, and she no less. 

125 


A HAPPY BOY 


“ How tall you have grown ! ” said she, but 
she meant something quite different. She 
looked at him more and more, and laughed more 
and more, and so did he; but they said nothing. 
The dog had seated himself on the edge of the 
rock, and was looking down at the house ; 
Thore noticed the dog’s head from the water 
below, and could not for the life of him imagine 
what it was that showed up on the rock. 

But the two had let go each other’s hands, 
and began by degrees to talk. And when he 
had once begun, Eyvind soon talked so fast that 
she could not but laugh at him. 

“ Yes, you know, that’s when I am happy, 
really happy you know ; and when it was all 
right between us two, it was just as if a lock had 
burst open inside me, burst open you know.” 

She laughed. Presently she said : 

** I know all the letters you sent me almost 
by heart.” 

So do I yours ! But you always wrote 
such short ones.” 

Because you always wanted them long.” 

126 


A HAPPY BOY 


And when I wanted you to write more about 
anything, you always chopped round and away 
from it.” 

I look best when you see my back, said 
the witch.” 

But, by-the-bye, youVe never told me how 
you got rid of John Hatlen.” 

I laughed.” 

What ? ” 

“ Laughed ; don't you know what it is to 
laugh ? ” 

“ Oh yes, I can laugh ! ” 

Let me see ! ” 

What an idea ! I must have something to 
laugh at.” 

I don’t need that when I’m happy.” 

“ Are you happy now, Marit ? ” 

Am I laughing now ? ” 

Yes, that you are ! ” He took both her 
hands and struck them together — clap, clap ! — 
whilst he looked at her. 

At this moment the dog began to growl, then 
all his hair bristled up, then he began to bark at 


127 


A HAPPY BOY 


something right below ; he got angrier and 
angrier until at last he was beside himself with 
rage. Marit started back alarmed, but Eyvind 
stepped forward and looked down. It was at 
his father that the dog was barking ; he was 
standing right under the rock with both hands 
in his pockets, looking up at the dog. 

“ Are you up there too ? What mad dog is 
that you’ve got up there ? ” 

“ It’s a dog from the Hill Farms,” answered 
Eyvind, somewhat abashed. 

How the devil did he get up there ? ” 

But the mother, hearing the horrible noise, had 
looked out at the kitchen window, and under- 
stood the situation ; so she laughed and said : 

That dog comes here every day, so there’s 
nothing to be surprised at.” 

It’s a ferocious dog.” 

He’ll be better if he’s patted,” said Eyvind, 
and he patted him ; the dog left off barking but 
continued to growl. The father went unsus- 
pectingly away, and the two were saved from 
discovery. 


128 


A HAPPY BOY 


“ That was one time,” said Marit as they met 
again. 

Do you mean it’ll be worse another 
time?” 

I know some one who will keep a sharp eye 
on us.” 

“ Your grandfather ? ” 

Exactly.” 

But he can’t do us any harm.” 

Not a bit.” 

“ You promise me that ? ” 

“ Yes, I promise you that, Eyvind.” 

** How lovely you are, Marit I ” 

** That’s what the fox said to the crow, and 
got the cheese.” 

** I want the cheese too, I promise you ! ” 

But you won’t get it.” 

** I shall take it.” 

She turned her head, and he did not take it. 

** I’ll tell you something, Eyvind,” she looked 
up sideways. 

Well ? ” 

“ How ill-mannered you’ve grown ! ” 


129 


R 


A HAPPY BOY 


“ You’ll give me the cheese all the same.” 

No, I won’t ; ” she turned away again, I 
must go now, Eyvind.” 

‘‘lam coming with you.” 

“ But not beyond the wood ; grandfather 
would see you.” 

“No, not beyond the wood. Why, how 

you’re running, dear.” 

“ We can’t walk side-by-side here.” 

“ But this isn’t being together.” 

“ Catch me, then ! ” 

She ran, he ran after her, and her dress was 
soon caught so that he overtook her. 

“ Have I taken you now for always, Marit ? ” 
He had his arm round her waist. 

“ I think so,” she said softly, and laughed, 
but flushed red, and was instantly serious again. 
Well, now’s the time, thought he, and he tried 
to kiss her, but she ducked her head down 
under his arm, laughed and ran away. But she 
stopped at the last trees. 

“When shall we meet again?” she whis- 
pered, 

130 


A HAPPY BOY 


“ To-morrow, to-morrow ! ” he whispered 
back. 

Yes, to-morrow ! ” 

Good-bye,'^ and she ran off. 

^‘Marit! ” 

She stopped. 

“ Wasn’t it strange that we met first upon 
the rock ? ” 

Yes, wasn’t it?” and she ran on again. 

He looked long after her; the dog ran on 
in front, barking up at her, and she after, hushing 
,him. 

He turned round, took off his cap and tossed 
it in the air, caught it and tossed it up again. 

** Now, I really believe I am beginning to be 
happy,” said the boy ; and he sang as he went 
homewards. 


CHAPTER X 


One afternoon later in the summer, as the 
mother and a maid were raking up the hay, and 
the father and Eyvind were carrying it home, a 
little barefooted, bareheaded boy came hopping 
down the hill and across the field to Eyvind, to 
whom he handed a note. 

** You run well ! ” said Eyvind. 

I am paid for it,” answered the boy. No 
answer was required, he said, so he made his 
way back again over the rock ; for there was 
some one on the road, he explained, whom 
he did not want to meet. Eyvind opened the 
note with some trouble, for it was first folded 
in a strip — then folded again, then sealed and 
tied up. 

Its contents were : He is on his way ; but 
132 


A HAPPY BOY 


it is slow work. Run into the wood and hide 
yourself. 

You Know Who.” 

No, ril be hanged if I hide,” thought Eyvind, 
looking defiantly up the hill. It was not long 
before an old man came in sight at the top of 
the hill ; he rested, walked a little way, then 
rested again ; both Thore and his wife stopped 
to look at him. Thore presently smiled ; his 
wife, on the contrary, changed colour. 

** Do you know him ? ” 

Yes, one couldn’t easily mistake him.” 

The father and son resumed their hay-carry- 
ing, but the latter managed it so that they were 
always one behind the other. The old man 
on the hill drew slowly nearer, like a heavy sou’- 
wester. He was very tall and rather stout ; 
his legs were weak, and he walked foot by foot 
leaning heavily on a staff. He soon came so 
near that they could see him distinctly ; he 
stopped, took off his cap and wiped his head 
with his handkerchief. He was bald right to 


133 


A HAPPY BOY 


the crown of his head ; had a round, puckered 
face, small, glistening, blinking eyes and bushy 
eyebrows; he had not lost a single tooth. 
When he spoke it was in a sharp, barking voice 
which hopped as if over gravel and stones ; but 
every now and then it would dwell with great 
satisfaction upon the letter r,^’ rolling it out, as 
it seemed, for yards, and at the same time jump- 
ing from one key to another. In his younger 
days he had been well known as a cheerful but 
hot-tempered man ; in his old age, contrarieties 
of many sorts had made him passionate and 
suspicious. 

Thore and his son had crossed and recrossed 
the meadow several times before Ole came up 
with them ; they both knew quite well that he 
came for no good, therefore it seemed all the 
funnier that he could not get at them. They 
had both to appear quite serious and to speak 
very softly ; but when this went on and on 
indefinitely the situation became irresistibly 
comic. A mere shred of a phrase that comes in 
aptly is enough, under such circumstances, to 
134 


A HAPPY BOY 


set people off; especially if there happens to be 
some danger in laughing. When at last the old 
man was only a few yards away, but seemed 
unable to get nearer, Eyvind said drily and 
softly : 

What a heavy load he must be carrying ! ” 
and it needed no more. 

You’re surely out of your senses,” whispered 
the father, although he was himself laughing. 

H’m, h’m ! ” coughed Ole, on the hill- 
side. 

He’s tuning up ! ” whispered Thore. 

Eyvind fell on his knees before the haycock, 
buried his head in it and laughed. His father 
also bent down. 

** Let’s get into the barn,” whispered he, 
taking an armful of hay and marching away 
with it ; Eyvind took up a small bundle and ran 
after him, bent double with laughter, and threw 
himself down in a convulsion as soon as he got 
into the barn. The father was a serious man, 
but if anybody set him off laughing he began 
with a gurgling, then came longer but broken 


135 


A HAPPY BOY 


trills until they flowed together in one roar, 
after which came wave upon wave with an ever- 
increasing back-draught. Now he was fairly 
set off ; while the son lay on the floor, the 
father stood over him, and they both went into 
peals of laughter. They were subject every 
now and then to such hysterical fits ; but ^^this 
one came at the wrong time,” said the father. 
At last they did not know what would come of 
it, for the old man must by this time have got 
to the farm. 

I am not going out,” said the father, ‘‘ I 
have no business with him.” 

** Well, then, I sha’n^t go either,” answered 
Eyvind. 

*'H’m, h’m ! ” was heard just outside the 
barn-wall. The father shook his finger at the 
boy. 

Will you get out with you ? ” 

*^Yes, if you go first.” 

“ No, off with you ! ” 

You go first I ” And they brushed each 
other down and went solemnly forth. When 
136 


A HAPPY BOY 


they had crossed the bridge* they saw Ole 
standing facing the kitchen door as if consider- 
ing ; he was holding his cap in the hand with 
which he held his staff, wiping the sweat off his 
bald head with his handkerchief, and at the 
same time ruffling up the bristles behind his 
ears and on his neck, so that they stuck out like 
spikes. Eyvind kept behind his father, who 
had therefore to bear the first brunt ; and to get 
it over he said with stupendous solemnity : 

** This is a long way for a man of your years 
to come.'* 

Ole turned round, looked keenly at him, and 
put his cap on straight before he answered : 
‘‘ Yes, you're right there ! ” 

You must be tired ; won't you come in ? ” 

‘‘ Oh, I can rest where I am ; my errand is not 
a long one." 

Someone was peeping from the kitchen door ; 
between her and Thore stood old Ole with the 
peak of his cap over his eyes ; for the cap was 

* An inclined plane for driving hay-carts up into the 
barn. 


137 


s 


A HAPPY BOY 


too large now that his hair was gone. He had 
thus to throw his head very far back in order to 
see clearly ; he held his staff pressed against his 
side when he was not gesticulating, and his one 
gesture was to throw his arm half out from him 
and hold it motionless as though guarding his 
dignity. 

** Is that your son standing behind you ? ” he 
began, in a resolute voice. 

** They say so.” 

He is called Eyvind, isn’t he ? ” 

Yes, they call him Eyvind.” 

He has been at one of these farming-schools 
down south ? ” 

*‘Yes, I don’t say he hasn’t.” 

** Well, my girl, my granddaughter Marit, she 
has gone mad lately.” 

** I am sorry to hear it.” 

“ She won’t marry.” 

Really ? ” 

“ She won’t have anything to do with any of 
the farmers’ sons who offer themselves.” 

“ Indeed ! ” 

138 


A HAPPY BOY 


*‘And it’s his fault, his — that’s standing there.” 

Indeed ! ” 

“ They say he’s turned her head : yes, that 
fellow, your son Eyvind.” 

“ The devil he has ! ” 

Look here, I don’t like people running oft 
with horsqs when I turn them out to pasture, 
and I don’t like people running oft* with my 
daughters either, when I let them go to a dance; 
I don’t like it at all.” 

“ No, of course not.” 

** I can’t go after them ; I am old, I can’t look 
after them.” 

** No — no, no — no ! ” 

like things kept in order, you know — the 
chopping-block to stand there and the axe to lie 
there, and the knife there ; and here they’re to 
sweep and here they’re to throw out the rubbish, 
not at the door, but over in the corner, precisely 
there and nowhere else. So, when I say to her: 
not him, but him ! then him it must be and not 
him ! ” 

“ No doubt.” 

139 


A HAPPY BOY 


** But it isn’t so. For three years she has 
said no, and for three years things have been 
amiss between us. This is bad ; and it’s he 
that’s to blame for it all ; and I tell him before 
you, his father, that it’s no use, he must put a 
stop to it.” 

^‘Well, well.” 

Ole looked a moment at Thore, then he said. 
You answer shortly.” 

“I’ve nothing more to say.” 

Here Eyvind could not help laughing, although 
he was in no laughing mood. But with cheerful 
people fear ever borders on laughter, and now he 
felt an impulse to laugh. 

“ What are you laughing at ? ” asked Ole, 
shortly and sharply. 

j “p 

“ Are you laughing at me ? ” 

“ God forbid ! ” but his own answer made him 
want to laugh more. 

Ole saw this and became furious. Both 
Thore and Eyvind tried to patch it up by putting 
on serious faces and inviting him to go indoors ; 

140 


A HAPPY BOY 


but the accumulated wrath of three years was 
seeking an outlet, and was not to be stopped. 

** You mustn’t think you’re going to make a 
fool of me,” he began ; ** I am here to do my 
duty ; I am looking to my grandchild’s happiness, 
as I understand it, and the laughter of a young 
puppy is not going to hinder me. One doesn’t 
bring up girls to dump them down on the first 
cottar’s holding that offers, and one doesn’t 
manage a farm for forty years to hand over 
everything to the first fellow that makes a fool 
of a girl. My daughter went and moped and 
carried on till she got herself married to a 
vagabond, and he drank them both to ruin, and 
I had to take the child and pay the piper ; but 
curse me if my granddaughter is to go the 
same road ! As sure as I am Ole Nordistuen 
of the Hill Farms, I tell you the minister shall 
sooner call the banns for the fairy folk up on 
the Nordal forest than he shall speak such 
names from the pulpit as Marit’s and yours, you 
jackanapes! Are you to go and scare proper 
suitors away from the farm, forsooth ? Just 

141 


A HAPPY BOY 


you show your face there, my man, and you’ll 
travel down the hill again in a way you won’t 
relish. You giggling imp, you ! Do you sup- 
pose I don’t know what you’re thinking of, you 
and she ? You’re thinking that old Ole Nor- 
distuen will soon turn up his toes in the church- 
yard, and then you’ll trip away to the altar 
together ! No, I’ve lived sixty-six years now, 
and I’ll show you, boy, that I’ll live till you’re 
both mighty sick of it ! And, what’s more, you 
can hang about the house till all’s blue and you 
won’t see so much as the sole of her foot, for I’ll 
send her out of the district ; I’ll send her where 
she’ll be safe, so that you can flutter around like 
a laughing jay and marry the rain and the north 
wind. And now I’ve nothing more to say to 
you ; but you, his father, you know my mind, 
and if you wish him well you’ll make him bend 
the river in the way its got to run ; I warn it off 
my ground.” 

He turned away with short, quick steps, lifting 
his right foot a little more strongly than the left, 
and muttering to himself. 


142 


A HAPPY BOY 


Complete seriousness had fallen upon those 
he left behind ; a foreboding of evil had mingled 
itself with their joking and laughter, and a blank 
pause followed as after a shock of terror. The 
mother, who had heard all from the kitchen 
door, looked anxiously at Eyvind with tears in 
her eyes ; but she would not make things 
harder for him by saying a single word. They 
all went indoors in silence, and the father, seat- 
ing himself by the window, looked after Ole 
with a very serious countenance. Eyvind watched 
intently his slightest change of expression ; for 
did not the future of the young people almost 
depend upon his first words ? If Thore added 
his refusal to that of Ole, they could scarcely 
hope to get over it. His thoughts ran appre- 
hensively from obstacle to obstacle ; for a mo- 
ment he saw only poverty, opposition, misunder- 
standing and wounded self-respect, and every 
resource he could think of seemed destined to 
fail him. His uneasiness was increased by his 
mother’s standing there with her hand on the latch 
of the kitchen door, uncertain whether she had 
143 


A HAPPY BOY 


courage to stay in and await the upshot, and by 
her at last losing heart and slipping out. Eyvind 
looked steadily at his father, who, it seemed, 
was never going to look round ; nor did the 
son venture to speak, for he understood that the 
thing must be fully thought out. But presently 
his soul had run its course of anxiety and 
regained its firmness. “ After all,” he thought 
within himself as he looked at his father’s 
knitted brow, God alone can part us.” And 
just at this moment something happened. Thore 
heayed a long sigh, rose, looked into the room 
and met his son’s gaze. He stopped and looked 
long at him. 

“ I should be best pleased if you gave her up, 
for one ought not to beg or bully oneself forward 
in the world. But if you won’t give her up, 
tell me when you’ve made up your mind, and 
perhaps I may be able to help you.” 

He went to his work and his son went with 
him. 

By the evening Eyvind had his plan complete : 
he would try for the post of District Inspector 

144 


A HAPPY BOY 


of Agriculture, and would beg the Principal of 
the College and the Schoolmaster to help him. 

Then, if she holds out, with God’s help I will 
win her through my work.” 

He waited in vain for Marit that evening, but 
as he waited he sang his favourite song : 

Lift thy head, brave lad, for token 
That, if past-time hopes be broken, 

New ones sparkle in an eye, 

That takes light from God on high. 

Lift thy head, and gaze around thee. 

Something new hath sought and found thee ; 
Something that with myriad voice 
Bids the heart in thee rejoice. 

Lift thy head ; for harps are ringing. 

Footsteps dancing, voices singing. 

And the vault of heaven so blue. 

Is thine own soul beaming through. 

Lift thy head, and sing unchidden ! 

Spring disdains the winds frost-ridden ; 

When the sap is rich and clear 
Burgeoning shoots will greet the year. 

Lift thy head, baptized for ever 
In the flood of hope’s bright river. 

That across the gleaming world 
Like a rainbow is unfurled. 


145 


T 


CHAPTER XI 


It was the middle of the dinner-hour. The 
people were sleeping at the big Hill Farm ; the 
hay lay tossed about the meadows just as they 
had left it, and the rakes were stuck in the 
ground. Down by the barn-bridge stood the 
hay-sledges, the harness was heaped on one 
side, and the horses were tethered a little way 
off. Except the horses, and a few hens which 
had strayed into the field, there was not a living 
creature to be seen on the whole plain. 

In the mountain above the farms there was a 
gap, through which the road passed to the Hill 
Farm sseters, on the great, grassy mountain 
meadows. On this day a man stood in the gap, 
and looked down over the plain, as if he were 
expecting somebody. Behind him lay a little 
mountain lake, from which flowed the beck that 
146 


A HAPPY BOY 


formed the ravine. Around this lake, on both 
sides, cattle-paths led up towards the saeters, 
which he could see in the far distance. There 
was a shouting and barking away beyond him, 
bells tinkled along the hillsides, for the cows 
were hurrying to seek the water, while the dogs 
and herd-boys tried to collect them, but in vain. 
The cows came tearing along with the most 
wonderful antics, made leaps where the ground 
was rough, and ran, with short and fierce bellow- 
ings and their tails in the air, right down into 
the water, where they remained standing. Their 
bells chimed over the surface of the lake every 
time they moved their heads. The dogs drank 
a little, but remained on dry land. The herd- 
boys followed, and seated themselves on the 
warm, smooth rock. Here they took out their 
provisions, exchanged with each other, bragged 
about their dogs, their oxen, and their people 
at home. They presently undressed, and jumped 
into the water beside the cows. The dogs 
would not come into the water, but poked lazily 
about with drooping heads, hot eyes, and tongues 
147 


A HAPPY BOY 


hanging out on one side. On the surrounding 
leas no bird was to be seen ; no sound was 
heard but the youngster’s chatter and the tinkling 
of the bells. The heather was withered and 
burnt up. The sun shone takingly on the 
expanses of the rock, so that everything was 
suffocatingly hot. 

It was Eyvind who sat up here in the midday 
sun, and waited. He sat in his shirt-sleeves 
close by the beck that flowed out of the lake. 
No one was as yet to be seen on the Hill Farm 
plain, and he was beginning to be a little afraid, 
when suddenly a large dog came heavily out of 
a door at Nordistuen, and after it a girl with 
white sleeves. She ran over the grassy hillocks 
towards the mountain. He wanted very much 
to shout to her, but he dared not. He watched 
the house attentively to see whether any one 
should chance to come out and notice her; but 
she was sheltered from view. He, too, lost sight 
of her, and rose several times in his impatience 
to watch for her coming. 

At last she came, working her way up along 

148 


A HAPPY BOY 


the bed of the stream, the dog, a little in front, 
sniffing the air, she holding by the bushes, and 
with ever- wearier pace. Eyvind ran down ; the 
dog growled and was hushed, and directly 
Marit saw him she sat down on a large stone, 
her face all flushed, wearied and overcome by 
the heat. He swung himself up on the stone 
beside her. 

‘‘ Thank you for coming ! ” 

^*What heat, and what a road! Have you 
been waiting long ? ” 

^^No. Since they watch us in the evening 
we must use the dinner-hour. But I think that 
henceforward we oughtn’t to be so secret and 
take so much trouble : that’s just what I wanted 
to talk to you about.” 

*^Not secret ? ” 

“ I know things please you best when there’s 
a touch of mystery about them ; but to show 
courage pleases you too. I have a lot to say 
to you to-day, and you must listen.” 

** Is it true that you are trying for the post of 
District Inspector?” 


149 


A HAPPY BOY 


^^Yes; and I shall get it too. I have a 
double object in that : first, to make a position 
for myself, and after that, and more especially, 
to accomplish something that your grandfather 
can see and appreciate. It’s a lucky thing that 
most of the owners of the Hill Farms are young 
people who want improvements and are seeking 
help ; they have money, too. So I shall begin 
there. I will look after everything, from their 
cowhouses to their irrigation-channels. I shall 
give lectures and keep things going. I shall, 
so to speak, besiege the old man with good 
work.” 

‘^That’s bravely spoken. Go on, Eyvind.” 
Well, the rest concerns us two. You mustn’t 

go away 

But if he orders me to ? ” 

Nor keep anything secret about yourself and 

me.” 

But if he persecutes me ? ” 

We shall produce more effect and make our 
position better by letting everything be open. 
We should make a point of being so much under 
150 


A HAPPY BOY 


people’s eyes that they can’t help talking of how 
we love each other ; they will wish us well all 
the more. You must not go away. When 
people are apart there is always a danger of 
gossip coming between them. For the first 
year we should not believe anything, but in the 
second year we might gradually begin to believe 
a little. We two will meet once a week, and 
laugh away all the mischief they will try to 
make between us. We shall be able to meet at 
dances, and foot it so that it rings again, whilst 
our backbiters sit around and look on. We 
shall meet at the church, and greet each other 
in the sight of all those who wish us a hundred 
miles apart. If any one makes up a song about 
us, we will lay our heads together, and try to 
make up one in answer; we’re sure to manage it 
if we help each other. No one can hurt us if 
we hold together, and let people see that we do. 
Unhappy lovers are always either timid people, 
or weak people, or unhealthy people, or calculat- 
ing people who wait for a certain opportunity ; 
or crafty people who at last burn their fingers 


A HAPPY BOY 


with their own cunning, or ease-loving people 
who don’t care enough about each other to 
forget differences of wealth and station. They 
go and hide themselves, and send letters, and 
tremble at a word ; and this terror, this per- 
petual unrest and pricking in the blood they 
come at last to take for love ; they are unhappy 
and melt away like sugar. Pooh ! If they 
really loved each other they would not be afraid, 
they would laugh ; in every smile and every 
word, people should see the church-door loom- 
ing ahead. I’ve read about it in books, and 
I’ve seen it too : it’s a poor sort of love that 
goes the back way. It must begin in secresy 
because it begins in timidity, but it must live in 
openness because it lives in joy. It is like the 
changing of the leaves : those that are to grow 
cannot hide themselves, and you see how all 
the dry leaves hanging to the trees fall off the 
moment the sprouting begins. He to whom 
love comes lets drop whatever old, dead rubbish 
he may have clung to ; when the sap starts 
and throbs, do you think no one is to notice it ? 

152 


A HAPPY BOY 

girl, they’ll be happy at seeing us happy I 
Two lovers who hold out against the world do 
people a positive service, for they give them a 
poem which their children learn by heart to 
shame the unbelieving parents. I have read of 
so many such cases, and some of them live, 
too, in the mouths of the people hereabouts ; 
and it’s precisely the children of those who 
once caused all the trouble that now tell the 
stories, and are moved by them. Yes, Marit, 
we two will shake hands upon it — like that, yes 
— and promise each other to hold together, and 
you’ll see all will come right. Hurrah ! ” He 
wanted to put his arm round her neck but she 
turned her head, and slipped down from the 
stone. 

He remained sitting, and she came back, and 
with her arms upon his knee she stood and 
talked to him, looking up in his face. 

Tell me now, Eyvind, if he’s determined to 
send me away, what then ? ” 

Then you must say no, straight out.’* 

** Is that possible, dear ? ” 

153 




A HAPPY BOY 


He can^t very well carry you out, and put 
you in the carriage.” 

If he doesn’t exactly do that, he can compel 
me in many other ways.” 

‘‘ I don’t think so. Of course you owe him 
obedience so long as it’s no sin ; but you owe it 
to him also to let him understand how hard it is 
for you to be obedient in this matter. I think 
he’ll come to his senses when he sees that ; at 
present he thinks, like most people, that it’s only 
child’s play. Show him it is something more.” 

“ He isn’t easy to manage, I .can tell you. 
He keeps me like a tethered goat.” 

But you slip your tether many times a 
day.” 

No, I don’t.” 

Yes ; every time you secretly think of me 
you slip it.” 

Yes, that way. But are you so sure that I 
think so often of you ? ” 

You wouldn’t be here else.” 

My dear, didn’t you send me a message to 
come ? ” 


154 


A HAPPY BOY 


But you came because your thoughts drove 
you.” 

Say rather because the weather was so 
beautiful.” 

** You said just now that it was too hot.” 

“To go up hill, yes ; but down again 1 ” 

“ Then why did you come up ? ” 

“ So as to run down again.” 

“ Why haven’t you run down already ? ” 

“ Because I had to rest.” 

“ And talk with me of love.” ’ 

“ There was no reason why I shouldn't give 
you the pleasure of listening to you.” 

“Whilst the birds were singing” — “and the 
folk slept sound ” — “ and the bells were ring- 
ing ” — in the woods around.” 

Here they both saw Marit's grandfather come 
stumping out into the yard and go to the bell- 
rope to ring the people up. The people dragged 
themselves out of barns, sheds and rooms, went 
sleepily to the horses and rakes, dispersed over 
the fields, and in a few minutes all was life and 
work once more. 


155 


A HAPPY BOY 


The grandfather, left alone, went from one house 
into another and at last up on the highest barn- 
bridge to look out. A little boy came running 
to him, he had probably called him. The boy, 
as they foresaw, set off in the direction of Pladsen, 
the grandfather meanwhile searching round the 
farm; and as he often looked upwards he seemed 
at least to have some suspicion that the black 
speck up on the Big Stone must be Marit and 
Eyvind. A second time Marit’s big dog must 
needs make mischief. He saw a strange horse 
drive into the Hill Farm, and fancying himself 
on active service as watch-dog, he began to bark 
with all his might. They tried to hush him, but 
he had got angry and would not leave off, the 
grandfather meanwhile standing below and star- 
ing straight up into the air. But matters grew 
worse and worse, for all the herd-boys* dogs 
were astonished to hear the strange voice and 
ran to the spot. When they saw that it was a 
great wolf-like giant, all the straight-haired, 
Finnish dogs set upon him. Marit was so 
frightened that she ran away without any leave- 
156 


A H^PPY BOY 


taking ; Eyvind rushed into the thick of the fray 
and kicked and belaboured, but they only shifted 
their battle-ground and then met again with 
horrible howls. He dashed after them again, and 
so it went on until they waltzed themselves down 
to the edge of the beck. Then he ran at them, 
and the consequence was that they all rolled 
down into the water just at a place where it was 
nice and deep. This parted them at last and 
they slunk away ashamed ; and so ended the 
battle. Eyvind went through the wood till he 
struck the by-road ; but Marit met her grand- 
father up at the farm fence; and for this she had 
her dog to thank. 

Where have you come from ? ” 

** From the wood.” 

** What were you doing there ? ” 

** Gathering berries.” 

'' That’s not true.” 

No; it isn’t true.” 

What were you doing then ? ” 

** I was talking to some one.” 

** Was it to that Pladsen boy ? ” 

157 


A HAPPY BOY 


^^Yes.’^ 

** I^ook here now, Marit, to-morrow you go 
away.” 

No,” 

“ I tell you, Marit, you have just got to make 
up your mind to it — you shall go away.” 

‘^You can’t lift me into the carriage.” 

No ? can’t I ? ” 

** No, because you won’t.” 

Won’t I ? Now look here, Marit, just for 
the fun of the thing, just for fun I tell you, I’ll 
thrash that beggar-boy of yours within an inch 
of his life.” 

No, you wouldn’t dare to.” 

Wouldn’t dare to ? Do you say I wouldn’t 
dare to ? Who would do anything to me ? 
Who, eh ? ” 

“The schoolmaster.” 

“The schoo — school — schoolmaster? Do you 
suppose he bothers himself about him ? ” 

“ Yes ; it was he who kept him at the Agri- 
cultural College.” 

“ The schoolmaster ? ” 

15S 


A HAPPY BOY 


** The schoolmaster.” 

** Look here Marit, I won’t have these goings- 
on ; you shall go out of the place. You bring 
me nothing but trouble and grief ; it was the 
same with your mother before you, nothing but 
trouble and grief. I am an old man ; I want to 
see you well provided for ; I won’t be the 
laughing-stock of the district when I am dead 
and gone, on your account. I’m only thinking 
of your own good ; you ought to thank me for 
that, Marit. It will soon be all over with me, 
and then you’ll be left alone. What would have 
become of your mother if I hadn’t been there to 
help her? Be sensible now, Marit, and attend 
to what I say. Tm thinking only of your own 
good.” 

** No, you're not.” 

” Indeed ? What am I thinking of, then ? ” 

** You want simply to have your own way, 
that’s what you want ; and you never trouble 
about what / want.” 

** So you’re to have a will of your own, are 
you, madam ? Of course you understand what’s 
159 


A HAPPY BOY 


best for you, you fool ! I’ll give you a taste of 
my stick ; that’s what I’ll do, for all you’re so 
big and bouncing. Look here now, Marit, let me 
talk sense to you. You're not such a fool at 
bottom, but you’ve got a bee in your bonnet. 
You must listen to me. I am an old man, and 
I know what’s what. I want you to see reason. 
I’m not so well off as people think ; a pennyless 
ne’er-do-well would soon run through the little 
I have ; your father made a big hole in it, he 
did. Let us take care of ourselves in this 
world ; there’s nothing else for it. It’s all very 
well for the schoolmaster to talk, he has money 
of his own ; so has the minister ; they can 
afford to preach, they can. But we, who must 
toil for our living, with us it’s another matter. 
I am old, I know a great deal, I have seen many 
things. Love, you know, love’s all very well 
to talk about, yes, but it’s worth mighty little ; 
it’s good enough for ministers and the like ; 
peasants must take things in another way. 
First food, you see, then God’s Word, and then 
a little writing and reckoning, and then a little 
i6o 


A HAPPY BOY 


love if it happens so ; but curse me if it’s any 
use to begin \vith love and end with food. 
What do you answer to that, Marit ? ” 

“ I don’t know.” 

You don’t know what you ought to 
answer ? ” 

“ Yes, I know that.” 

Well, then ? ” 

“ Shall I say it ? ” 

Yes, say it, of course.” 

“ My whole heart is in this love.” 

He stood a moment dismayed, then remem- 
bered a hundred similar conversations with a 
similar issue, shook his head, turned his back on 
her and walked away. 

He descended upon the labourers, abused 
the girls, thrashed the big dog, and nearly 
frightened the life out of a little hen which 
had strayed into the field, albeit to her he said 
nothing. 

That night when she went up to bed Marit 
was so happy that she opened the windows, 
leant on the window-sill, looked out and sang. 

l6i 


X 


A HAPPY BOY 


She had got hold of a delicate little love-song 
and she sang it : 

Art thou fond of me ? 

I’ll be fond of thee 
All the years of life we live together. 

Summer may slip away, 

The grassy fields decay, 

But memory holds the sports of sweet spring weather. 

What you said last year 
Aye murmurs in my ear. 

Like a caged bird fluttering in my bosom : 

Sits and shakes its wings, 

Twitters there and sings, 

Waiting till the sunshine wakes the blossom. 


Litli-litli-lo ! 

Hearest thou me so, 

Boy behind the sheltering hedge of birches ? 

The woods will flicker past, 

The dusk is falling fast, 

Canst find the way for which my blind foot searches ? 

I shut my window wide. 

What do you want beside ? 

The sounds come back through evening’s tender 
gloaming ; 

With laughing, beckoning notes, 

Their music towards me floats. 

What wilt thou ? Ah, how sweet a night for roaming. 


CHAPTER XII 


Some years have passed since the last scene. 

It is late autumn ; the schoolmaster comes up 
to Nordistuen, opens the outer door, finds no 
one at home ; opens another, finds no one at 
home; goes on and on to the innermost room of 
the long building, and there sits Ole Nordistuen 
alone by the bed, looking at his hands. 

They exchange greetings ; the schoolmaster 
takes a stool and seats himself opposite Ole. 

You sent for me,” he says. 

Yes, I did.” 

The schoolmaster takes a fresh quid, looks 
around the room, takes up a book which is lying 
on the bench and turns over the leaves. 

What was it you wanted to say to me ? ” 

I am just thinking about it.” 

The schoolmaster is very leisurely in his 
163 


A HAPPY BOY 


movements, takes out his spectacles to read the 
title of the book, polishes them, and puts them 
on. 

You’re getting old now, Ole.” 

^‘Yes, it was about that I wanted to speak to 
you. I am going downhill ; I shall soon be 
bedridden.” 

Then you must see to it that you lie easy. 
Ole.” He shuts the book and sits looking at 
the binding. 

That’s a good book that you have in your 
hands.” 

It’s not bad ; have you often got beyond 
the cover. Ole ? ” 

Yes, just lately. I’ve ” 

The schoolmaster lays down the book and 
puts by his spectacles. 

“ Things are not just as you would wish with 
you now. Ole ? ” 

'^They haven’t been for as far back as I can 
remember.” 

Oh, for a long time it was the same with 
me. I fell out with a good friend, and waited 

164 


A HAPPY BOY 


for hint to come to me^ and all that time I 
was unhappy, Then I contrived to go to him 
and then it was all right.” 

Ole looks up and is silent. 

The schoolmaster : How is the farm getting 
on, Ole ? ” 

It’s going downhill, like myself.” 

Who is to take it when you are gone ? ” 

That’s just what I don’t know ; and that’s 
what’s worrying me.” 

Your neighbours are getting on well. Ole.” 

“ Yes, they have that Inspector of Agriculture 
to help them.” 

The schoolmaster, turning indifferently to- 
wards the window : “ You ought to have help 
too, Ole. You can’t get about much and you’re 
not up in the new methods.” 

Ole : There’s no one that would be willing 
to help me.” 

Have you asked any one ? ” 

Ole is silent. 

The schoolmaster : I was like that, too, 
with our Lord for a long time. ‘ Thou art not 


A HAPPY BOY 


kind to me/ I said to him. ‘ Have you asked me 
to be ? ’ he replied. No, I had not ; so then I 
prayed to him and since then all has been well 
with me.” 

Ole is silent, and the schoolmaster too is silent 
now. 

At last Ole says : 

I have a grandchild ; she knows what would 
make me happy before I go, but she doesn’t do 
it.” 

The schoolmaster smiles. 

** Perhaps it would not make her happy ? ” 

Ole is silent. 

The schoolmaster : There are many things 
that are worrying you, but so far as I can make 
out they are all in the end connected with the 
farm.” 

Ole says quietly : It has passed from father 
to son through many generations and it’s good 
land. All the labour of my fathers, man after 
man, lies in the soil ; but now it does not bear. 
And when they drive me away I don’t know who 
is to drive in. There is no one of the family.” 

166 


A HAPPY BOY 


Your granddaughter will keep up the 
family.” 

“ But he who takes her, how will he take the 
farm ? That’s what I want to know before I 
lie down. There’s no time to be lost, Baard, 
either for me or for the farm.” 

They are both silent ; then the schoolmaster 
says : Shall we go out a bit and have a look 

at the farm in this fine weather ? ” 

Yes, let us ; I have workpeople upon the 
slopes, they are gathering in the leaves ; but 
they don’t work except just when I have my eye 
on them.” 

He shambles about to get his big cap and his 
stick, and says meanwhile : They don’t seem to 
like working for me ; I don’t understand it.” 

When they had got out and were turning the 
corner of the house he stopped. 

“ Here, do you see ? No order : the wood 
scattered all about ; the axe not stuck into the 
chopping-block ; ” he stooped with difficulty, lifted 
it and struck it firmly in. There you see a 
trap that has fallen down, but no one has 


A HAPPY BOY 


picked it up.” He did it himself. “ And here, 
the storehouse. Do you think the steps have 
been taken away ? ” He moved them aside. 
Then he stopped, looked at the schoolmaster 
and said : And that’s how things go every 
day.” 

As they went upwards they heard a merry 
song from the uplands. 

Come now, they’re singing at their work,” 
said the schoolmaster. 

That’s little Knut Ostistuen who is singing ; 
he’s gathering leaves for his father. My people 
are working over there ; you may be sure they’re 
not singing.” 

“ That song doesn’t belong to these parts, 
does it ? ” 

No, so I can hear.” 

Eyvind Pladsen has been over at Ostistuen 
a great deal ; perhaps it’s one of the songs he 
brought into the parish ; there’s plenty of sing- 
ing where he is.” 

To this there was no answer. 

The field they were crossing was not in good 

I68 


A HAPPY BOY 


order ; it had been neglected. The school- 
master remarked upon it and Ole stopped. 

** I haven’t the strength to do more ” said he, 
almost with tears. Strange workpeople wdth 
no one to look after them come too expensive. 
But I can tell you it’s hard to go over fields in 
this state.” 

As the talk now fell upon the size of the 
farm and what parts stood most in need of 
cultiv’atlon, they decided to go up on the slopes 
and look over the whole of it. When at last 
they had reached a high spot where they had a 
good view, the old man was moved. 

** I am very loth to go and leave it like this. 
We have worked down there, I and my fathers, 
but it doesn’t show much sign of it.” 

A song burst forth right over their heads 
with the peculiar piercingness of a boy’s voice 
W’hen he sings with all his might. They were 
not far from the tree in whose top little Knut 
Ostistuen sat pulling leaves for his father, and 
they had to listen to the boy : 

169 Y 


A HAPPY BOY 


When you tread the mountain-path 
With a scrip to tarry, 

Put no more within its fold 
Than you well can carry. 

Never drag the valley’s cares, 

Up steep precipices ; 

Hurl them in a joyous song, 

Down the wild abysses. 

Birds shall greet you from the bough. 
The hamlet sounds grow shyer. 

The air becomes more pure and sweet 
Ever as you climb higher. 

Fill your happy breast, and sing. 

And as your old life closes. 

From every bush dear childlike thoughts 
Will nod with cheeks like roses. 


If you pause, and listen well. 
With ear attuned to wonder, 
The mighty song of solitude 
Will fill the void like thunder'; 
Even a rivulet’s hurrying course. 
Even a stone down stealing, 
Will bring neglected duty by 
As with an organ’s pealing. 


Quake, but plead, thou timorous soul, 
Amidst thy memories shield thee ; 
Go on and up, the better part 
The topmost peak shall yield thee. 
There, as of yore, with Jesus Christ, 
Elias walks, and Moses ; 

In such a blest ecstatic sight 
Thy toilsome journey closes. 

170 


A HAPPY BOY 


Ole had sat down and hidden his face in his 
hands. 

I will talk to you here/’ said the school- 
master, and sat down beside him, 

# » * 

Down at Pladsen Eyvind had just come home 
from a longish journey ; the post-chaise was still 
at the door, whilst the horse rested. Although 
Eyvind was now making a good income as 
District Inspector, he still lived in his little 
room down at Pladsen, and gave a helping hand 
between whiles. Pladsen was under cultivation 
from one end to the other, but it was so small 
that Eyvind called the whole of it Mother’s Dull 
Farm ; for it was she who specially looked after 
the farming. 

Me had just changed his clothes ; his father 
had come in all white and floury from the mill, 
and had also changed. They were talking of 
going for a little walk before supper, when the 
mother came in quite pale. 

‘^Here are strange visitors coming. Just 
look ! ” 

171 


A HAPPY BOY 


Both men went to the window, and it was 
Eyvind who first exelaimed : ^‘That’s the school- 
master, and — why, I declare, yes, it’s really 
he ! ” 

^‘Yes, it’s old Ole Nordistuen,” said Thorc, 
turning from the window so as not to be seen, 
for the two were already coming up to the 
house. 

As he left the window Eyvind caught the 
schoolmaster’s eye. Baard smiled, and looked 
back at old Ole, who was plodding along the 
road with his stick, taking his usual short steps, 
and always lifting one leg a little higher than 
the other. The schoolmaster was heard to say 
outside : 

lie has just come home.” 

And Ole said twice : Well, well I ” 

They stood a long time silent in the passage. 
The mother had crept over to the corner where 
the milk-shelf was ; Eyvind was in his favourite 
position, with his back against the large table 
and his face towards the door; his father sat 
beside him. At last there was a knock, and in 
172 


A HAPPY BOY 


walked the schoolmaster and took off his hat ; 
then Ole, and took off his cap ; after which he 
turned to close the door. He was slow in 
turning, and was obviously embarrassed. Thore 
rose, and asked them to come in and sit down. 
They seated themselves side by side on the 
bench by the window. Thore sat down again. 

And the wooing went on as follows : 

The schoolmaster: We’ve got fine weather 
this autumn after all.” 

Thore : It has settled now at last.” 

“ It will be settled for some time, too, since 
the wind has gone over to that quarter.” 

Have you finished harvesting up yonder ? ” 

^^No; Ole Nordistuen here, whom I daresay 
you know, would be glad of your help, Eyvind, 
if it’s not inconvenient.” 

Eyvind : If it is desired I will do what I 

can.” 

^'You see it’s not mere momentary help he 
means. He thinks the farm is not getting on 
very well, and he thinks that it’s method and 
supervision that’s wanting.” 

173 


A HAPPY BOY 


Eyviiid: so much from home.” 

The schoolmaster looks at Ole. Feeling that 
he must now put in his oar, Ole clears his throat 
a time or two, and begins quickly and shortly : 

The idea was — it is — yes — the idea is that 
you should, in a manner of speaking — that you 
should make your home up there with us — be 
there when you aren’t out.” 

Many thanks for the offer, but I prefer to 
live where I live now.” 

Ole looks at the schoolmaster, who says : 
^‘You see Ole’s a little confused to-day. The 
thing is that he came here once before, and the 
remembrance of that puts his words out of 
order.” 

Ole, quickly : That’s it, yes. I behaved like 
an old fool. I tugged against the girl so long 
that our life went to splinters. But let bygones 
be bygones ; the wind breaks down the grain, 
but not the breeze ; rain-driblets do not loosen 
big stones ; snow in May does not lie long ; it 
is not the thunder that strikes people dead.” 

They all four laughed. The schoolmaster 
174 


A HAPPY BOY 


says : Ole means that you must not think of it 
any more ; nor you either, Thore.” 

Ole looks at them, and does not know whether 
he dares begin again. Then Thore says : 
“ Briars scratch with many teeth but don’t make 
deep wounds. There are certainly no thorns 
left sticking in me.” 

Ole : I didn’t know the boy then. Now I 

see that what he sows grows ; autumn answers 
to spring ; he has money in his finger-ends, and 
I should like to get hold of him.” 

Eyvind looks at his father, then at his mother ; 
she looks from them at the schoolmaster, and then 
they all look at him. 

Ole means that he has a large farm ” 

Ole interrupts : A large farm, but ill- 

managed. I can do no more. I am old, and 
my legs won’t run my head’s errands. But it 
would be worth any one’s while to put his 
shoulder to the wheel up there.” 

“The largest farm, by far, in the district,” the 
schoolmaster put in. 

“ The largest farm in the district, that’s just 
175 


A HAPPY BOY 


the difficulty ; shoes that are too big fall off ; 
it’s well to have a good gun, but you must be 
able to lift it.” Turning quickly to Eyvind : 

You could give us a hand, couldn’t you ? ” 

** You want me to be manager ? ” 

Exactly, yes ; you would have the farm.” 

** I should have the farm ? ” 

“ Exactly, yes ; then you would manage it.” 

But ” 

Don’t you want to ? ” 

Of course I do.” 

Well well, then that’s settled, as the hen 
said when she flew across the lake.” 

“ But ” 

Ole looks in surprise at the schoolmaster. 

“ E3wind wants to know if he’s to have Marit 
too ? ” 

Ole quickly : Marit into the bargain, Marit 
into the bargain ! ” 

Then Eyvind burst out laughing, and jumped 
up from his seat, the other three laughing with 
him. Eyvind rubbed his hands and went up 
and down repeating incessantly : 

176 


A HAPPY BOY 


Marit into the bargain, Marit into the 
bargain ! 

Thore laughed with a deep chuckle, and the 
mother up in the corner kept her eyes fixed on 
her son until they filled with tears. 

Ole, very anxiously : ** What do you think of 
the farm ? ” 

Splendid land ! ” 

Splendid land, isn’t it ? ” 

Capital pasturage ! ” 

Capital pasturage ! It’ll do, won’t it ? ” 

It shall be the best farm in the country. ”j 
‘‘ The best farm in the country I Do you 
think so ? Do you mean it ? ” 

“ As sure as I stand here ! ” 

Now isn’t that just what I said ? ” 

They both talked equally fast, and fitted in 
with each other like a pair of cog-wheels. 

But money, you see, money ? I have no 
money.” 

It goes slowly without money, but still it 
goes.” 

It goes I yes, of course it goes ! But if 
177 


z 


A HAPPY BOY 


we had money, it would go quicker, wouldn’t 
it ? ” 

Ever so much quicker.” 

*‘Ever so much? If only we had money! 
Well, well ; one can chew even if one hasn’t all 
one’s teeth ; though you only drive oxen you 
get in at last.” 

The mother was making signs to Thore, who 
looked at her sideways, quickly and often, as he 
sat rocking his body and stroking his knees 
with his hands ; the sehoolmaster blinked at 
him. Thore had his mouth open, cleared his 
throat a little and tried to speak ; but Ole and 
Eyvin answered each other so incessantly, and 
laughed and made such a noise, that no one 
could get a word in edgewise. 

Please be quiet a bit ; Thore has something 
he wants to say,” the schoolmaster puts in ; 
they stop and look at Thore. He begins at last 
quite softly : 

“ It’s been like this : here at Pladsen we have 
had a mill ; latterly it has been so that we have 
had two. These mills have always brought in a 
178 


A HAPPY BOY 


trifle in the course of the year, but neither my 
father nor I ever used any of the money, except 
the time when Eyvind was awaj^ The school- 
master has invested it for me, and he says it has 
thriven well where it is; but now it will be 
best for you, Eyvind, to have it for Nordistuen.” 

The mother stood over in the corner, and 
made herself quite small whils with sparkling 
joy she gazed at Thore, who was very serious 
and looked almost stupid ; Ole Nordistuen sat 
opposite him with his mouth agape. Eyvind 
was the first to recover from his astonishment 
and exclaiming : Doesn’t luck follow me ! ” he 
went across the room to his father, and slapped 
him on the shoulder so that it rang again. 

Father ! ” said he, rubbed his hands and con- 
tinued to pace the room. 

** How much money might there be ? ” asked 
Ole at last, but softly, of the schoolmaster. 

It’s not so little.’^ 

A few hundreds ? ” 

** A little more.” 

A little more ? — a little more, Eyvind ! God 
179 


A HAPPY BOY 


bless me, what a farm we shall make of it I ” 
He rose and laughed heartily. 

“ I must come up with you to Marit,” says 
Eyvind ; ‘‘ we can take the post-chaise that is 
standing outside, we shall get there quicker.’^ 
Yes, quick, quick ! Do you, too, want to 
have everything quick ? ” 

Yes, quick as quick can be ! ” 

Quick as quick can be ! Exactly like me 
when I was young, exactly ! 

Here’s your hat and stick ; now I’m going 
to show you the door ! ” 

You show me the door, ha, ha ! but you’ro 
coming too, aren’t you ? you’re coming ? And 
you others too ; we must sit together this even- 
ing, so long as there’s a spark in the stove ; come 
along ! ” 

They promised, Eyvind helped him into the 
chaise and they drove off up to Nordistuen. Up 
there the big dog was not the only one to be as- 
tonished when Ole Nordistuen drove into the 
yard with Eyvind Pladsen. Whilst Eyvind 
helped him out of the chaise and servants and 
180 


A HAPPY BOY 


hired folk stood gaping at them, Marit came out 
into the passage to see why the dog kept on 
barking so, but she stopped as if spell-bound, 
flushed all red and ran in again. Old Ole, how- 
ever, shouted so loud for her when he came into 
the house, that she had to come forward again. 

Go and tidy yourself, girl : here is he who 
is to have the farm ! ” 

Is that true ? ” said she, in a ringing voice, 
without knowing what she said. 

Yes, it is true," answers Eyvind and claps 
his hands ; whereupon she swings round on her 
toes, throws what she is holding in her hands 
far from her, and runs out — but Eyvind runs 
after her. 

Shortly after, the schoolmaster, Thore and his 
wife arrived ; the old man had candles on the 
table which was covered with a white cloth ; 
wine and ale were produced, and he himself went 
round continually, lifting his legs higher even 
than usual, but always lifting the right foot 

higher than the left. 

# * # # # 

l8i 


A HAPPY BOY 


Before this little tale ends it may be stated 
that five weeks later Eyvind and Marit were 
married in the parish church. The schoolmaster 
himself led the singing that day as his assistant 
was ill. His voice was cracked now, for he was 
old ; but Eyvind thought it did one good to hear 
him. And when he had given his hand to Marit 
and led her up to the altar, the schoolmaster 
nodded to him from the choir just as Eyvind had 
seen him do when he was sorrowfully watching 
that dance ; he nodded back, whilst tears rose to 
his eyes. 

Those tears at the dance were the prelude to 
these ; and between them lay his faith and his 
work. 

Here ends the story of a Happy Boy. 




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